An American journalist has been arrested by Turkish authorities and charged with violating a military zone, US officials have confirmed, according to the BBC.

Lindsey Snell was arrested earlier this month, US state department spokesman John Kirby said.

The Florida native recently posted on Facebook that she was kidnapped in July by Jabhat al Nusra, formerly al Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, and had escaped.

The US said it was in touch with Turkish officials regarding the case.

Ms Snell is being held at a prison in the southern Hatay Province and consular officials had visited her on 26 August, Mr Kirby added. 

According to the Turkish pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak, Ms Snell was detained near the country's Syrian border.

A state department official told the BBC it is unclear why she travelled to Syria and whether her profession as a journalist had anything to do with her arrest.