Missing U.S. Journalist's Family Believes He's In Syrian Prison

James Foley (second from right) walks with other journalists freed in May 2011 in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, after being abducted while covering the Libyan conflict.

The family of a U.S. journalist who has been missing in Syria since November 2012 says they believe he is being held by the security services of President Bashar al-Assad.

James Foley's family made the statement on May 3, which was being observed as World Press Freedom Day.

The statement said Foley was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in northwest Syria on November 22.

An investigation by GlobalPost, to which the freelance journalist was filing video reports, led investigators to conclude Foley is being held in a prison near Damascus, possibly with other Western journalists.

Foley's family appealed to Syria to release the journalist.

In the two years since the Syrian uprising began, 23 journalists and 58 citizen journalists have been killed, according to the NGO Reporters Without Borders.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP