An American “pilgrim” has been found in Damascus after spending seven months in prison under the Assad regime.

Initially rumoured on social media to be Austin Tice, an American journalist who has been missing in Syria since 2012, the man has since identified himself to media as Travis Timmerman.

He said he had been trying to make his way out of the country after being released from prison earlier this week, where he had been held for more than half of a year, CBS reported.