Qatar launches mission in Syria to recover bodies of US hostages executed by ISIS

A Qatari-led mission has begun searching for the remains of U.S. hostages killed by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria nearly a decade ago, reviving efforts to recover the bodies of Americans who were beheaded during the extremist group's reign of terror, two sources with direct knowledge of the operation confirmed to Reuters.

According to the sources, Qatar's internationally recognised search and rescue team, which has previously been deployed to disaster zones in Morocco and Türkiye, began the operation on May 7 in Syria.

The Qatari team is being accompanied by several American personnel. So far, three sets of human remains have been located, though identification is still pending, a Syrian security official said.

The mission marks a renewed attempt to find the remains of hostages such as American aid worker Peter Kassig, who was executed by the Islamic State in 2014 in the town of Dabiq, northern Syria—a location heavily featured in IS propaganda. A second source confirmed that Kassig’s remains are among those the team hopes to identify.

James Foley and Steven Sotloff, two U.S. journalists, were also beheaded by IS in 2014. American aid worker Kayla Mueller was killed while in IS custody after enduring repeated sexual assault by IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to U.S. officials. Her death was confirmed in 2015.

Diane Foley, mother of James Foley, responded to news of the mission with appreciation. “We’re grateful for anyone taking on this task and risking their lives in some circumstances to try and find the bodies of Jim and the other hostages,” she said. “We thank all those involved in this effort.” The families of the other victims were contacted via the Committee to Protect Journalists but did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The renewed search effort comes as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to travel to Doha and other Gulf capitals next week. His visit coincides with ongoing appeals by Syria’s interim Islamist-led government, which has close ties to Qatar, for the easing of U.S. sanctions.

One of the sources revealed that the current Qatari operation had been discussed during a high-level Qatari delegation’s visit to Washington in April. That delegation included Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al Khulaifi. The visit also served as preparation for Trump’s upcoming trip to the region.

An individual familiar with past U.S. efforts noted that the mission reflects a longstanding bipartisan commitment in Washington to locate the remains of Americans executed by the Islamic State. “There have been multiple previous efforts with U.S. government officials on the ground in Syria to search very specific areas,” the person said, though they declined to provide further detail.

The source added that the remains of Foley, Sotloff, and Kassig are most likely located in the same general area near Dabiq, which IS has turned into a symbolic hub for its propaganda, citing its name’s connection to Islamic prophecy. In contrast, Mueller’s case was unique due to her captivity by Baghdadi himself, possibly suggesting her remains may be in a different location.

Two former British nationals who were part of the IS execution cell that murdered the American hostages—often referred to as “The Beatles”—are currently serving life sentences in the United States.

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, was once a commander of the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and fought against Islamic State forces during the Syrian conflict. He formally broke with al-Qaeda in 2016.

By Tamilla Hasanova