LAUREN TAYLOR: Rebels bringing down Syria’s regime is sparking new hope that Austin Tice – the American freelance journalist captured more than 12 years ago in Syria – could soon come home.

U.S. officials say they’re working to get as much information they can about Tice, who was captured as a 31-year-old and would now be 43. 

The Texas native is a veteran of the U.S. Marines and graduate of Georgetown University. He wrote for outlets including The Washington Post and McClatchy.

While working as a freelancer, Tice was abducted in August 2012 near Damascus, a little over a year after the start of the Syrian Civil War. It led to efforts by the U.S. government and groups like the nonprofit Reporters without Borders to help with the search. 

The White House sent its special envoy for hostages to Beirut, in neighboring Lebanon, to lead new efforts to find Tice as Syria’s rebels let political prisoners and dissidents out.

Both U.S. officials and Tice’s family are hopeful that he is still alive.

President Joe Biden: “We believe he is alive. We think we can get him back but we don’t have direct evidence of that yet and Assad should be held accountable.”

Naomi Tice / Sister of Austin Tice:“President Joe Biden has consistently said that Austin is alive. And recently we were able to independently verify that with another source. And so we have full confidence that Austin is indeed alive, that he is in Syria and that he is absolutely waiting to walk free.

LAUREN TAYLOR: Syria’s old regime under President Bashar al-Assad denied holding Tice or any other Americans.

On Sunday, the FBI said it is still offering a $1 million reward for information leading to Tice coming home safely.