Taliban video shows captive US soldier

The American soldier who went missing on June 30 from his base in eastern Afghanistan and was later confirmed to have been captured, appeared on a video posted to a website by the Taliban.

Two US defence officials confirmed that the man in the video is the captured soldier. The video provide the first glimpse the public has had of the missing soldier.

The soldier is shown in the 28-minute video with his head shaved and the start of a beard. He is sitting and dressed in a nondescript, gray outfit. Early in the video one of his captors holds the soldier's dog tag up to the camera. His name and ID number are clearly visible. He is shown eating at one point and sitting on a bed.

The soldier, whose identity has not yet been released by the Pentagon pending notification of members of Congress and the soldier's family, says his name, age and hometown on the video, which was released on Saturday on a Web site pointed out by the Taliban. Two US defence officials confirmed that the man in the video is the captured soldier.

The soldier said the date is July 14. He says he was captured when he lagged behind on a patrol.