Syria denies kidnapping US citizens after Biden’s words about journalist Austin Tice

Aug. 17 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Syrian government denied this Wednesday that it had kidnapped or disappeared US citizens after US President Joe Biden urged Damascus to “return home” journalist Austin Tice, “kidnapped” ten years ago and whose disappearance Washington blames directly the Government of Bashar al Assad.

“Last week, the US administration (…) issued misleading and illogical statements, which included false accusations by the Syrian government of kidnapping or arresting US citizens, including Austin Tice, a military officer in the United States Army,” the report said. Syrian Foreign Ministry in a statement.

In this sense, the Syrian Government has indicated that it is committed to the principles of International Law and the provisions of the Vienna Convention”, while accusing Washington of precisely violating the international norm on consular and diplomatic relations.

“He even encouraged dozens of US citizens to travel to Syria and enter its territory without permission from their government and in an unauthorized manner, legitimately through irregular border crossings or infiltrating areas controlled by armed terrorist groups,” he said. in said statement.

He also reminded the United States that the dialogue must be based “on respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and non-interference in its internal affairs.”

“(Washington) must immediately and unconditionally withdraw its military forces that are illegally present in Syrian territory, refrain from stealing and smuggling Syrian oil and wheat, and cover and protect armed separatist groups and armed terrorist groups that are present in the illegal US military base Al Tanf,” he added.

This reaction by the Syrian government comes after Biden assured in a statement released on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Tice’s disappearance, that the United States knows “with certainty” that the journalist is “held by the Syrian regime” .

Tice was arrested in August 2012 at a checkpoint while reporting in Damascus on the uprising against the government. There has been no news of the journalist since a video in which he appeared guarded by armed men was broadcast on the Internet weeks after his disappearance.