Latest news with #NDF
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Secret Docs Reveal Putin Ally's Role in Missing U.S. Reporter's Disappearance
Secret intelligence files show that missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice was imprisoned by the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria despite the regime's longstanding denials, according to a report. Tice, a freelance journalist, was abducted outside the Syrian capital of Damascus in August 2012. He has remained missing ever since—though the BBC now claims to have confirmation that Assad's government, which was overthrown in December 2024, had Tice in its detention. Washington, D.C., has previously accused the Syrian government under Assad—who fled to Russia and the protection of his ally Vladimir Putin—of being responsible for Tice's disappearance. The U.S. has also questioned the authenticity of a video that emerged shortly after Tice vanished, showing him blindfolded and being held at gunpoint, with analysts suggesting the scene may have been staged to give the appearance that a jihadist group took Tice. No group or nation has claimed responsibility for Tice's disappearance. The BBC now reports it has the first evidence that the Syrian government detained the reporter. The broadcaster claims Tice was captured in a suburb outside Damascus and then held by an Assadist paramilitary group called the National Defense Forces (NDF). One document marked 'top secret' obtained by the BBC said Tice was kept in a detention facility in Damascus in 2012. 'Austin's value was understood,' a former NDF member told the broadcaster, describing Tice as a 'card' to be played in any future diplomatic negotiations with the U.S. Tice was held in the facility until at least February 2013, another Syrian official told the BBC, during which time he was visited at least twice by a doctor. The outlet reported that blood tests showed Tice had a viral infection at the time. He was later spotted by a visitor to the facility who told the BBC Tice was being treated slightly better than Syrian prisoners, but that 'he looked sad, and the joy had gone from his face.' At some point between late 2012 and early 2013, Tice is reported to have escaped from the facility after squeezing through a window in his cell, but was quickly recaptured. He was also said to have been interrogated twice by a Syrian intelligence officer. Following the downfall of the Assad regime in December 2024, then-President Joe Biden told a press conference he believed Tice was alive and was committed to returning him to his family. Biden also admitted the government had 'no direct evidence' of his whereabouts and said: 'We still have to identify where he is.' Tice's mother, Debra, said at the time that a 'significant source' had told her Austin was alive and was being 'treated well' by his captors. After the regime fell and political prisoners were freed, Tice has still not been found. A former U.S. Marine captain, Tice served in Iraq and Afghanistan before traveling to Syria in 2012 to report on the country's civil war as a freelancer. He is thought to be one of the longest-held American hostages in history. Around 100,000 people were disappeared by the Assad regime, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Syrian intelligence documents confirm Austin Tice imprisoned by Assad regime
The intelligence files unearthed by the BBC are the first evidence to surface of the Assad regime's detention of Austin Tice, who disappeared near Damascus in 2012. Missing American journalist Austin Tice was imprisoned by the Assad regime and questioned by a Syrian intelligence officer, the BBC reported on Monday, citing uncovered intelligence files from the former government. BBC said that the authenticity of the files had been verified by the news organization and by law enforcement. Syrian officials from the former Assad regime also confirmed to the BBC that the regime had detained Tice. The US government previously said that it believed the Syrian government held Tice, but the Assad regime denied the claim. Tice, who worked as a freelance journalist, disappeared near Damascus in August 2012. According to the BBC, seven weeks after his disappearance, a video was posted online showing Tice blindfolded and his hands bound, being forced to recite an Islamic declaration of faith by a group of armed men. However, US officials and analysts questioned the validity of the video, saying it "may have been staged." No government or group claimed responsibility for Tice's disappearance, and he had not been heard from since. The intelligence files unearthed by the BBC are allegedly the first evidence to surface of the Assad regime's detention of Tice, since efforts to locate him began following the fall of Assad's regime in December 2024. According to the BBC, the files labelled "Austin Tice" included communications from different branches of Syrian intelligence. One file, marked "top secret," showed that Tice was detained in a facility in Damascus in 2012, with sources confirming to the BBC that he was held by a paramilitary group loyal to the Assad regime. A Syrian official told the BBC that Tice was held in Damascus by the paramilitary group until February 2013, and at that time, Tice developed stomach issues and was treated by a doctor twice. Blood tests reportedly revealed that he suffered from a viral infection, the BBC wrote. A man who visited the facility where Tice was held told the BBC that Tice was treated better than the Syrian detainees, but that he looked "sad" and that the "joy had gone from his face." A former member of the Assad loyalist group NDF with knowledge of Tice's detention told the BBC that Tice was a "card" for diplomatic negotiations with the US. Tice was reported to have briefly escaped from captivity through a window in his cell, but was recaptured and interrogated by a Syrian government intelligence officer sometime between late 2012 and early 2013. After the fall of the Assad regime, former US president Joe Biden said he believed Tice was alive, and Tice's parents said they heard from a "significant source" that Tice was indeed alive and being "treated well." However, when prisons emptied after the fall of the regime, there was no sign of Tice, and his whereabouts are still unknown.
Roya News
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Leaked files confirm Assad regime held missing US journalist Austin Tice
For over a decade, the fate of American journalist Austin Tice remained one of the most enduring mysteries of the Syrian conflict. Now, previously unseen intelligence documents obtained by the BBC provide the first concrete confirmation that Tice was held by Syrian authorities under the leadership of Bashar Al-Assad. The classified materials, verified by both the BBC and law enforcement sources, include internal communications between Syrian intelligence branches. They explicitly name Tice and detail aspects of his imprisonment following his 2012 abduction near Damascus. The findings, along with corroborating testimony from former Syrian officials, offer long-sought clarity about what happened to him in the early days of his disappearance. Tice, a freelance journalist and former US Marine, vanished in August 2012 near Darayya, a suburb of the Syrian capital, just days after turning 31. He had entered the country to report on the escalating civil war. Roughly seven weeks later, a video surfaced online showing Tice blindfolded and reciting an Islamic declaration while surrounded by armed men. Though the clip suggested extremist movements' involvement, US analysts at the time raised doubts about its authenticity, with one official stating the video "may have been staged." Despite years of speculation, no entity ever claimed responsibility for holding Tice. The Syrian government, under Assad, repeatedly denied having any knowledge of his whereabouts. That narrative has now been definitively challenged. One of the documents, stamped 'top secret,' places Tice in a government-run detention facility in Damascus in 2012. Sources familiar with the site identified it as Tahouneh prison. A former high-ranking Syrian intelligence officer confirmed to the BBC that Tice was held there by the National Defence Forces (NDF), a pro-Assad paramilitary group. A Syrian official told the BBC that Tice remained in custody at least until February 2013. During that time, he reportedly suffered from stomach problems and underwent medical treatment, including blood tests that revealed a viral infection. A visitor to the detention center who saw Tice recalled, "He looked sad, and that the joy had gone from his face," though he was said to be treated more humanely than Syrian inmates. In a rare account, a former NDF member with direct knowledge of Tice's detention said that his captors recognized his strategic value, stating that "Austin's value was understood" and that he was viewed as a "card" for potential diplomatic negotiations with the US. Tice allegedly made a brief escape attempt by climbing through a window, but was quickly apprehended. He is believed to have been interrogated at least twice by Syrian intelligence. The BBC's investigation is part of a long-running project that began over a year ago for a Radio 4 podcast. Reporters were granted access to a Syrian intelligence archive while working alongside a Syrian war crimes investigator. The documents they found are the first hard evidence to support long-standing US claims that Tice was in Syrian custody. When Bashar Al-Assad was deposed in December 2024, former US President Joe Biden expressed belief that Tice was still alive. Two days before, his mother Debra Tice shared that a 'significant source' had confirmed her son's survival and claimed he was being 'treated well.' Yet, when prisons across Syria were emptied following the regime's collapse, Tice was not among those released, and his current whereabouts remain unknown. The Tice family, who have led a relentless campaign for answers, are aware of the newly surfaced files, as are US officials and a Syrian group documenting human rights abuses under Assad. Tice, who once served in Iraq and Afghanistan before pursuing a law degree at Georgetown University, is now believed to be one of the longest-held American hostages. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, around 100,000 people were forcibly disappeared during Assad's rule. Tice's case, long marked by silence and uncertainty, now stands as a confirmed chapter in that broader tragedy.
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi EXIM Bank secures ‘A+' credit rating from Fitch, boosting non-oil export growth
RIYADH: The Saudi Export-Import Bank has received its first-ever ranking from Fitch, securing an 'A+' Long-Term Issuer Default Rating in foreign and local currencies, with a stable outlook. The agency also assigned the bank a Short-Term IDR of 'F1+, 'reflecting strong confidence in its financial stability and government-backed role. Fitch highlighted that the ratings stem from Saudi EXIM's strategic importance as a government-owned entity under the National Development Fund, as well as its key role in advancing Saudi Arabia's export financing, guarantees, and insurance policies. Saudi EXIM Bank has been actively supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to boost non-oil exports and diversify the economy under Vision 2030. Recent deals have included partnerships with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corp., Arab National Bank and Saudi Awwal Bank. Fitch noted in its assessment that 'SEB benefits from equity financing from the state, distributed promptly via NDF,' highlighting the bank's financial foundation. Saudi EXIM CEO Saad Al-Khalb expressed pride in the rating from Fitch, calling it a milestone that underscores the bank's commitment to transparency and efficiency, SPA reported. 'This classification gives the bank a greater ability to seize new growth opportunities, enhance the access of domestic exports in global markets, and contribute more deeply to the diversification of the national economy,' Al-Khalb said. In a post on X, Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef highlighted the bank's role in advancing the Kingdom's non-oil exports— a key pillar of Vision 2030. 'Since its inception in 2020, it has provided over SR75 billion ($19.9 billion) in credit facilities, enabling Saudi non-oil exports to access more than 150 countries worldwide,' the minister said. In 2024, Saudi Arabia's non-oil exports reached SR515 billion, marking the highest value in the Kingdom's history. This represents a 13 percent increase compared to the previous year and a 113 percent increase since the launch of Vision 2030, according to the Saudi News Agency. Fitch said that SEB has received robust financial support, including an SR12.9 billion equity injection in 2023 and an SR185 million grant in 2021. As the Kingdom's sole export credit agency, SEB is central to reducing reliance on oil by boosting non-oil exports. According to the agency, its lending portfolio surged to 58 percent of total assets in 2024, up from 47 percent the previous year. The bank also holds a substantial insurance reserve at NDF, ensuring exporters have risk coverage for global trade. Fitch assigned SEB a support score of 45 out of 60, deeming government backing 'virtually certain' if needed. The agency noted SEB's systemic importance, warning that any default would damage confidence in Saudi economic management. Fitch compared SEB to top export credit agencies like Italy's SACE and Australia's Export Finance Australia, noting their shared high-level government linkages. The rating enhances SEB's ability to attract international investors and expand its global footprint.
Argaam
20-05-2025
- Business
- Argaam
Saudi EXIM Bank receives 1st Fitch rating at 'A+' with stable outlook
The Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi EXIM) received its first-ever credit rating from Fitch Ratings, which assigned the bank a Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of 'A+' in both foreign and local currencies, with a stable outlook. The agency also gave the bank a Short-Term IDR of 'F1+'. Fitch said the ratings reflect several key factors, including strong government ownership and support, oversight by the National Development Fund (NDF), and the bank's pivotal role in implementing government policies related to export financing, guarantees, and insurance, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The agency added that Saudi EXIM operates as an extension of the government's efforts to diversify the economy and boost non-oil exports, reinforcing confidence in the likelihood of continued government support when needed. On his part, Bandar Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, stated that the bank receiving its first credit rating from Fitch Ratings reflects its pioneering role in supporting the Kingdom's development by enhancing the efficiency of the export ecosystem, bridging financing gaps, and mitigating risks. In a post on X, the minister noted that since its establishment in 2020, Saudi EXIM has provided over SAR 75 billion in credit facilities, enabling non-oil exports to reach more than 150 countries worldwide.
