U.S. official visited Syria seeking release of U.S. citizens -newspaper

A White House official traveled to Damascus for secret meetings with the Syrian government seeking the release of at least two U.S. citizens believed held by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The newspaper, citing unnamed Trump administration officials, said Kash Patel, a deputy assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump and the top White House counterterrorism official, flew to Damascus earlier this year. (Reporting By Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Daniel Wallis)