Inside secret Syria talks aimed at freeing American hostages
Talks between U.S. and Syrian officials last summer over the fate of journalist Austin Tice and other American hostages foundered over conditions laid out by Damascus and because of a lack of meaningful information provided on the fate of Tice.
Trump aide promises 'very professional transition' to Biden
DUBAI โ President Donald Trump's national security adviser promised a โvery professional transitionโ to the administration of President-elect Joe Biden in an interview broadcast Monday, even as Trump continues to falsely claim he won the November election. โIf the Biden-Harris ticket is determined to be the winner โ obviously things look that way now โ we'll have a very professional transition from the National Security Council. The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency also says: โThe November 3rd election was the most secure in American history.โO'Brien, Trump's fourth national security adviser, previously served as his special envoy on hostage affairs. A top Lebanese security official said Saturday that he visited Syria for two days to speak with officials there about Tice. However, there's been no public sign of tensions easing between Doha and Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Trump envoy traveled to Syria for talks on missing Americans
WASHINGTON โ A senior White House official made an unusual, secret visit to Syria for high-level talks aimed at securing the release of two Americans who have been missing for years amid the country's long civil war, Trump administration officials said Monday. The trip, the first high-level visit by an American official to Syria in years, was first reported Sunday by The Wall Street Journal. Direct talks had also been sought by the missing journalist's parents, Marc and Debra Tice. The paper, which usually conveys government positions, said Syrian officials have demanded a U.S. troop withdrawal from eastern Syria, where they have been deployed alongside Kurdish fighters. Trump has made negotiating the release of U.S. citizens held hostage or imprisoned in foreign countries a priority.