Syria denies kidnapping or hiding any US citizen on its territories

Last week, the US administration made misleading and illogical statements that contained void accusations against the Syrian government of kidnapping or detaining American citizens, including Austin Tice, a serviceman in the American army, according to the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

In a statement on Wednesday, the ministry said that the US government, years ago, acknowledged that Austin Tice and other American citizens had entered the Syrian territories illegally.

“These US citizens, whom Washington is talking about, communicated with terrorist groups that were then controlling some areas in Syria. Some of these terrorists still exist and are practicing terrorism under the protection of the American forces that are present in Syria illegally or under the protection of the Turkish occupation forces either in the northeast or northwest of Syria,” the ministry added.

In this regard, the government of the Syrian Arab Republic denies that it has kidnapped or hid any American citizen who entered its territory or resided in any areas under the sovereignty and authority of the Syrian government and it stresses its absolute commitment to the principles of the international law and the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the ministry clarified.

The ministry added that “Syria would like to draw the attention of the American public opinion and the American officials to the fact that the government of their country has violated the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, by turning a blind eye and even encouraging dozens of American citizens to travel to Syria and infiltrate into its territory illegally and without the permission of the Syrian government through irregular border crossings in areas controlled by terrorist groups.”

The ministry made it clear that “Syria affirms that any dialogue or official contact with the American government will be held publicly and it will be based on respecting Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and on non- interference in Syrian internal affairs.

The ministry reiterated that “the United States should immediately and unconditionally withdraw its military forces, which are illegally present in Syria, to stop looting and smuggling Syria’s oil and wheat, to end the protection it provides for the armed separatist groups as well as the terrorist groups positioned in the illegal US military base of “Al-Tanf” and to completely lift the unilateral coercive measures imposed the US successive administrations on the Syrian people.”

The ministry pointed out that the US administration should admit that it encouraged US citizens to go to Syria and cooperate with terrorist group there without paying attention to their life or safety.

Hamda Mustafa