A man who identified himself as American Travis Timmerman has been found in Syria after being released from prison

A man who identified himself as Missouri American Travis Timmerman was found Thursday in Syria after he said he was released from a prison earlier in the week, when longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad took power. Assad was forced from power due to a surprise attack by the rebels.

Timmerman told CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer that he was trying to get out of the country on his own after being released from the prison where he had been held for more than half a year. He said that he was arrested when he entered Syria without permission seven months ago after spending a month in neighboring Lebanon.

A US official told CBS News that the government was aware of reports that an American had been found outside Damascus and was seeking to provide support, but the official declined to provide any further details out of respect for his privacy.

Timmerman said two men armed with AK-47 rifles smashed down his prison door with a hammer on Monday.

“My door was broken down, it woke me up,” Timmerman said. “I thought the guards were still there, so I thought the war could have been more active than it was in the end… Once we got out, there was no resistance, no real fighting.”

Timmerman said he went to Syria for “spiritual purposes” and that his prison experience “wasn’t too bad.”

“I was never beaten,” he said. “The only bad thing was that I couldn’t go to the bathroom when I wanted to. I was only allowed to go out three times a day to go to the bathroom.”

Timmerman said he left the prison with a large group and began walking away. He added that he was trying to head towards Jordan.

He said that he “felt some moments of fear” when he left prison, and did not comprehend the fact that he had become free.

“I still haven’t really thought about it. I’ve been more concerned about finding a place to sleep every night since then,” he told CBS News. So I’ve been really working.”

Timmerman said he wasn’t afraid to approach people to ask for help or a place to sleep at night during his trip.

“They mostly came to me,” Timmerman said, adding that he spoke with his family three weeks ago on a phone he had while in prison. He said he let him use it.

“I feel good. I’ve been fed and hydrated, so I feel good,” Timmerman said.

Camilla Chic and

Joan Stoker

He contributed to this report.