American Freed from Syrian Prison as Rebels Overthrow Assad

An American detained in Syria for seven months has been released as a result of a rebel-led campaign to depose former President Bashar Assad. According to officials, Travis Timmerman, 29, of Urbana, Missouri, was flown to Jordan by a United States military helicopter.

Timmerman was detained in June after entering Syria from Lebanon on a Christian pilgrimage. He was held at the notorious Palestine Branch detention center run by Syrian intelligence. Timmerman told The Associated Press that his cell circumstances were straightforward but bearable, noting that he had a mattress and containers for water and garbage. He kept track of time using the sounds of Friday prayer summons.

Rebels stormed the prison earlier this week as part of a more extensive invasion of Damascus, removing Assad from office. Timmerman claimed the "liberators" used a hammer to break down his cell door, liberating him and 70 other female captives. 

The US military promptly removed Timmerman from Jordan. However, his next plans are unknown. While he expressed gratitude to his rescuers, sources indicate he intends to stay in the region.

Timmerman, who has a finance degree from Missouri State University, stated that he was not abused throughout his imprisonment and had no awareness of other Americans held there. His release highlights Syria's dynamic transitions and the hazardous situation of individuals arrested by Assad's dictatorship.

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