Context:

The family of American journalist and Marine veteran Austin Tice, who has been missing for over 12 years in Syria, has refuted reports that his remains were found, asserting their belief in his survival. An international search led by Qatar discovered remains in Syria, but they were not identified as Tice's, as he was not known to have been held by ISIS or in the area where the remains were found. Austin Tice was kidnapped in Damascus in August 2012 while working as a freelance journalist, and no group has claimed responsibility for his abduction. His mother, Debra Tice, returned to Syria for the first time in a decade to continue searching for her son. The FBI has offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his safe return, as efforts continue to resolve his disappearance and bring closure to his family.

Dive Deeper:

• Austin Tice, a U.S. Marine veteran and journalist, has been missing in Syria since August 2012 when he was abducted in Damascus while working as a freelance photographer. Despite extensive international efforts, including a search organized by Qatar, his whereabouts remain unknown, and no organization has claimed responsibility for his kidnapping.

• Recent reports suggesting that Tice's remains were found in Syria have been dismissed by his family, who maintain their belief that he is alive. The erroneous report appeared briefly on FoxNews.com but was quickly contradicted by those familiar with Tice's case.

• Tice's mother, Debra Tice, has returned to Syria for the first time in over a decade to continue the search for her son, emphasizing the family's ongoing hope and determination to find him. She appreciates the efforts to help families of ISIS victims find closure, even though Tice was not held by ISIS.

• The FBI has announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to Austin Tice's safe return, highlighting the ongoing commitment of U.S. authorities to resolve the mystery of his disappearance. Tice, a Georgetown Law School student at the time of his abduction, had served as a captain in the Marines in Afghanistan before embarking on his journalism career.

• The initial incorrect report about Tice's remains originated from regional media outlets and was part of a broader search effort to locate captives once held by ISIS. However, Tice was not believed to have been in the area where the remains were found, and his family continues to seek answers and closure.