Bergdahl


Bergdahl:

The Taliban has released a video purporting to show US soldier Bowe Robert Bergdahl who was captured in Afghanistan almost six months ago.

The video has not been verified, but shows a man wearing sunglasses and a US military-style helmet and uniform.

He appears healthy and speaks calmly and clearly, and does not appear to be under duress, the AP news agency said.

Pte Bergdahl, a 23-year-old US airborne infantryman, was captured by the Afghan Taliban in Paktika province on 30 June.

The insurgents also released a video of him a few weeks after he was captured.


'Next Vietnam'


In the video, Pte Bergdahl gives identifying details about himself such as his rank, date and place of birth, and deployment details.

"This is just going to be the next Vietnam unless the American people stand up and stop all this nonsense," he says.

There was no immediate comment from the US military or Nato forces in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon has said Pte Bergdahl was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment in Paktika province, eastern Afghanistan.

He vanished from his base, near the border with Pakistan, just five months after arriving in Afghanistan.

In July, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounced his capture as "outrageous" and said the military was doing everything it could to find him.

A reward has been offered for his safe return.

He is believed to be the first soldier seized in either Iraq or Afghanistan for at least two years.

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