Syria denied it is holding US journalist Austin Tice or other Americans after President Joe Biden accused the Syrian government of detaining him.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Damascus "denies it had kidnapped or is holding any American citizen on its territories".
"The US issued last week misleading and illogical statements by the American president and secretary of state that included baseless accusations against Syria that it had kidnapped or detained American citizens including former US Marine Austin Tice," the statement said.
![US President Joe Biden. Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/7DMPMGMTFPSR27MSEPAO6PGADI.jpg?auth=3cf97fa9c450fc41b6155e72eca955c7bb96fd6805b6e4c5a182e1a0bb874d63&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Biden's comments last week came in a statement released by the White House to mark the 10th anniversary of Tice's abduction, which took place when he was in Syria covering its lengthy conflict. Biden's remarks were the clearest indication so far that the US is certain Tice is being held by the government of President Bashar Assad.