Ibrahim Mediates Release of U.S. Citizen Held in Syria
A 30-year-old American held captive in Syria for two months was attempting to visit every country in the world, US media reported Friday, after he had been freed.
Sam Goodwin was released by Syrian officials following the mediation of Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon's internal security, Goodwin's family told The New York Times and The Washington Post.
His disappearance had not been previously reported and the exact date of his release remained unclear.
"We are grateful to be reunited with our son Sam," Goodwin's parents, Thomas and Ann Goodwin, said in a statement. "Sam is healthy and with his family."
"We are forever indebted to Lebanese General Abbas Ibrahim and to all others who helped secure the release of our son," they said. "We will have more to say at a later date. Right now, we appreciate our privacy as we reconnect with Sam."
According to the Post, Goodwin was last seen on May 25 in the city of Qamishli in northeast Syria after crossing from Turkey as part of his bid to visit every country in the world.
Several other Americans have gone missing in Syria including Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who vanished in 2012.
Source: Agence France Presse
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