Kidnappers free American missing in Syria since 2012

www.reuters.com...

(Reuters) - Al Qaeda-linked militants in Syria on Sunday freed an American writer missing since 2012 following what officials said were efforts by the Gulf Arab state of Qatar to win his release.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement that Peter Theo Curtis had been held by Nusra Front, al Qaeda's official wing in Syria whose rivalry with militant group Islamic State has fueled war among the insurgents themselves.

President Barack Obama, who was briefed on Curtis' release, "shares in the joy and relief that we all feel now that Theo is out of Syria and safe," the White House said.

"But we continue to hold in our thoughts and prayers the Americans who remain in captivity in Syria - and we will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to see that the remaining American hostages are freed," the statement added.

One down, about twenty more to go. Qatar has surely been stepping up it's game by facilitating the release of this man. I wonder how Qatar negotiated with the terrorists to get him released. Money? Prisoner release?

Like most of the confusion in the real workings in the ME ,the capturing of news people was one that stood out for me .There were other media types actually imbedded with some of the groups but others taken into captivity .I am only assuming that it was to stop the truth of the situation from getting out .Instead what we were seeing in the news was a white washed version ,without some of the critical questions being answered . a reply to: Swills