The 29-year-old said he was detained earlier this year after crossing into Syria on foot from Lebanon and held in prison until the fall of Assad. Timmerman's family called it a "Christmas miracle."

The 29-year-old from Missouri's Ozarks had last been seen in Budapest, Hungary. He said he was detained earlier this year after crossing into Syria on foot from Lebanon and held in prison until the fall of the Assad regime.

An American called Travis Timmerman who claims to have entered Syria on foot is now free after spending seven months in detention.

Family and friends of the Missouri man who was imprisoned in Syria after he said he crossed into the country on a "pilgrimage" to Damascus hailed his unexpected recovery as a "Christmas miracle" on Thursday after about seven months with no contact.

Travis Timmerman, a missing American from Missouri, was freed from a Syrian prison and found Thursday outside of Damascus trying to make his way out of the country on foot.

Ian Lee reports on the Biden administration working to bring home freed American prisoner Travis Timmerman.