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WASHINGTON — A video of an American soldier held captive by Afghan insurgents for the past four and a half years has been obtained by the United States government, and officials said Wednesday that it showed the soldier, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, alive but in a state of declining health.
Few details were available on the video, which was obtained in recent days by the American military. It was not a propaganda release to local or foreign journalists, a communications technique used by insurgent groups in the past, making it likely that the military had seized the video in an operation of some type.
The video, which is now in the hands of American intelligence officials, refers to current events, prompting officials to believe that it is proof that Sergeant Bergdahl, the only American being held prisoner in Afghanistan, is still alive.
After the existence of the video was revealed by CNN, the Pentagon issued a brief statement.
“We cannot discuss all the details of our efforts, but there should be no doubt that on a daily basis — using our military, intelligence and diplomatic tools — we try to see Sergeant Bergdahl returned home safely,†said Cmdr. Elissa Smith, a Pentagon spokeswoman. “Our hearts are with the Bergdahl family.â€
Sergeant Bergdahl is believed to be held by the militant Haqqani network in the tribal area of Pakistan’s northwest frontier, on the Afghan border. He was captured in Paktika Province in Afghanistan on June 30, 2009.
He has been the subject of negotiations, currently stalled, that focused on a trade of five Taliban prisoners held at the American military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for his release.
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G.I. Long Held by Afghan Militants Is Shown Alive in Video
