New video from a production house associated with the Taliban includes scenes of a U.S. soldier captured in Afghanistan nearly 18 months ago, a family spokesman confirmed Tuesday night.
Spc. Bowe Bergdahl was reported captured in June 2009 and was last seen in a hostage video released by the Taliban in April.
But he appears in footage released Tuesday by Manba al-Jihad, a video production group associated with the Islamic militia battling U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan.
There was no indication when the scenes were recorded. But Col. Timothy Marsano, a spokesman for the Bergdahl family, said they have seen images from the video and confirmed the thin Westerner seen in the video is the missing soldier.
Bergdahl was 23 when he disappeared from his combat outpost in southeastern Afghanistan's Paktika province. He is from Blaine County, Idaho, just outside Hailey.
In the nearly 45-minute video, he is wearing an open-necked, tan shirt and has a large abrasion on his left cheek, just below the eye. Though he had grown a beard in earlier videos, he appears clean-shaven in the latest one, and his hair remains close-cropped.
A speaker says the Paktia mujahadeen captured the soldier. He is in the custody of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and has all Islamic rights.
The video was obtained by IntelCenter, a Virginia-based think tank that specializes in tracking terrorist groups. IntelCenter said most of the video shows Taliban attacks in Afghanistan and that Bergdahl appears with a Taliban commander who had threatened to kill the American captive in July 2009.
The footage includes previously released scenes, but includes "a non-cropped version of the previously released footage that has never been seen," IntelCenter said.
CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr contributed to this report.
My God is Almighty and has said that HE listen to his servant. May Lord hear our prayers and bring you to your family. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen!!! May God hear your cry !!! Amen.
God you are Almighty and nothing and no one is above you. May SPC BOWE and other captured soldiers be protected under your mighty arms and return home. Amen!!
May God help you to return Home. .In the name of Jesus Christ !! Amen.
PRAYERS FOR SPC BOWE. MAY GOD BE WITH YOU AND HELP YOU TO COME BACK HOME. !!!
May God protect you and count your good deeds !! May God comfort your parents who brought up a son who serve his country and citizens !!
STILL PRAYING FOR YOU WITH WHOLE MY HEART SON. HOPE YOU WILL ABLE TO GO BACK HOME. MAY GOD SPEAK TO THEIR HEARTS AND RESCUE YOU TO GO HOME !!! BE STRONG IN GOD !!!!!!!
****Every body must pray for SPC BOWE !!! Also thank god as he still alive. !!
future marine..... good posts.
thanks. just tryin to put some decent reasoning on this blog.
IT is our responsibilty as Americans to show support for our only POW in this war. None of us know the details of his capture, we only know what the media reports. I ask that you pray for this young man to come home to his family and pray for the hearts of his captures that they treat him with respect. I have ridden on horseback thousands of miles this year to support our POW and his family others from all over the world have ridden to total over 10000 miles dedicated to his safe return and to show the world how far it is from the little town of Hailey Idaho to Afganistan. Miles for Bowe has been supported by many people that have ridden and dedicated miles to support Bowe's family and show how much we care.
Thank you for your work on behalf of Bowe and for supporting peace and respect for our POW.
I hope the US is trying to negotiate to get this young man home or at the very least they are looking for him to speed his return to US soil and his family. It breaks my heart, as a mother looking at someone's son, he looks like he has taken a beating and is beat down. I am sure that is his captors goal, I pray to our God and their God that they keep him safe and I beg for them to remember he is God's son too as they are to let that young man come home. Be brave Bowe you are loved by strangers that pray for your return and safe keeping.
Joanie H ....best post ever. He has been very strong. God is within him. !!! May the same God in Him will accompany to his home that he loved so much and has served !!! Amen.
joanie H ..good post. Thank you.
thank you. at least some people on here aren't supporting the Taliban.
He is an "enemy combatant" who should be treated the same way the U$A treats those it captures from Afghanistan.
Waterboard him, Dick Cheney and G aWol Bu$h say it isn't torture and that it is a useful interrogation technique.
Sauce, Goose, Gander !
REALITY CHECK you have some serious issues....it is not this young mans fault as to the treatment of Afghanistan prisoners....there are a lot of Americans that are appalled by what happened and do not agree with torture one way or another. This young man is serving his country that doesn't mean he agrees with EVERYTHING that his politicans have done. I barely agree with most things they do I didn't vote for those people but it isn't my fault or his fault what occurred. You must really have had some serious problems in your life to make a comment like that. I pray for you and that you will gain some understanding from your God (whatever God you pray to) or my God. Please have some compassion!!!!
Reality Check, stop being an ass. THis guy is fighting for us, dont egg on the taliban.
Once again, you ignorant idiot, Catholicism is based on Jesus' teachings, not hindu's. You obviously don't know enough about my faith to crticize it, so stop. you sound stupid, not intelligent.
I sold him drugs from the back of my mule (wife).
always a shame, but let's not forget this kid deliberatly walked off-base in order to buy liquor or drugs. Not a very smart move in the middle of a war zone
I wonder if you actually know the details of SPC Bergdahl's capture? Do you personally know Bowe or his family? How can you make such a statement when you really have no idea of what truly happened. i wonder, are you even a Veteran or soldier? This man made sacrifices that you can not imagine, his family continues to sacrifice every day, statements the one you have made disrespect our military, our POW and his family. Please do not speak if you can not make an educated statement.
Andrew, you yourself must be a kid, in order to make some stupid statement like that. How dare you slander a soldier, shame on you.
I am a Sri lankan., Shut your filthy mouth Lubin. You dont deserve the name Andrew. The hell be with you the way you talk against your own brother.
lets not forget we probably shouldn't be there y has no one investigated 9/11 how can 4 black boxs go missing in one day the troops need 2 be brought back home and our leaders need too answer some questions wake up people the only reason the taliban are killing and kidnapping americans is because were doing the same thing to them were is the so called al queda at anyway bcause there not the same