Syria: American who had been imprisoned by Bashar al-Assad found on the streets

A man claiming to be an American was found in Syria after saying he was released from a prison earlier this week when Bashar al-Assad fell.

According to CBS, which interviewed him, the man was identified as Travis Timmerman. He explained to the news outlet that he was trying to leave the country on his own when he was released from prison after serving more than half a year.

"He said he was detained upon entering Syria without permission seven months ago after spending a month in neighboring Lebanon," CBS detailed.

In that regard, the news outlet consulted a U.S. official who reported that the government is aware of reports about the man. However, he declined to offer further details.

The man explained that he came to Syria for Christian religious reasons. As CBS recalled, "Timmerman was named as 'Travis Pete Timmerman' on a missing person's bulletin published by Hungarian police in August, which said he had been last seen at a church in the country."

Rebel jihadists in Syria released some prisoners held in Syrian jails in recent days. Some of them had been imprisoned for decades.