The American soldierwho went missing June 30 from his base in eastern Afghanistan and waslater confirmed to have been captured, appeared on a video postedSaturday to a Web site by the Taliban, two U.S. defense officials said.
Thesoldier is shown in the 28-minute video with his head shaved and thestart of a beard. He is sitting and dressed in a nondescript, grayoutfit. Early in the video one of his captors holds the soldier’s dogtag up to the camera. His name and ID number are clearly visible. He isshown eating at one point and sitting on a bed.
The soldier, whose identity has not yet been released by the Pentagonpending notification of members of Congress and the soldier’s family,says his name, age and hometown on the video, which was releasedSaturday on a Web site pointed out by the Taliban. Two U.S. defenseofficials confirmed to The Associated Press that the man in the videois the captured soldier.
The soldier said the date is July 14. He says he was captured when he lagged behind on a patrol.
Heis interviewed in English by his captors, and he is asked his views onthe war, which he calls extremely hard, his desire to learn more aboutIslam and the morale of American soldiers, which he said was low.
Asked how he was doing, the soldier said on the video: