American pilgrim imprisoned in Assad’s Syria calls his release from prison a ‘blessing’

Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — An American who disappeared seven months ago into former Syrian President Bashar Assad’s notorious prison system says he was released by the “liberators” who arrived in Damascus a day after the longtime ruler fled the capital. Travis Timmerman told The Associated Press from a hotel room in Damascus that he was not ill-treated in prison but his release was a “blessing.” He had said he came to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage. Timmerman was among the thousands of people released from Syria’s sprawling military prisons this week after rebels reached Damascus, overthrowing Assad and ending his family’s 54-year rule.