Bowe Robert Bergdahl (born March 28, 1986 in Sun Valley, Idaho) is an American soldier who was captured by the Taliban while serving in southeastern Afghanistan in June/July 2009.He is a Private First Class and a member of 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Richardson, Alaska. Bergdahl went missing on June 30, 2009. The Department of Defense reported on July 2, 2009 that he went missing, attributing his disappearance to "walking off his base in eastern Afghanistan with three Afghan counterparts". Nothing else is known about the three Afghans. Bergdahl is still being held. The Taliban has released two videos of Bergdahl in captivity. They are demanding the release of several prisoners in exchange for Bergdahl's release.
On July 18, 2009, the Taliban released a video showing they had captured Bergdahl. In the video, Bergdahl appeared downcast and frightened. A Department of Defense statement issued on July 19 confirmed that that Bergdahl was declared "missing/whereabouts unknown" on July 1 and his status was changed to "missing/captured" on July 3.
In the 28 minute video his captors hold up his dog tags to establish the captured man is Bergdahl. Bergdahl gives the date as July 14 and mentions an attack which occurred that day.
Accounts of his capture differ. The version offered by Bergdahl, in the video, is that he was captured when he fell behind on a patrol. CNN, in its report cites both Taliban and U.S. military sources, the former alleging he was ambushed after having become drunk off base, and the latter denying that claim stating: "The Taliban are known for lying and what they are claiming (is) not true."
A Department of Defense spokesperson, Lieutenant Commander Christine Sidenstricker called the video of the captured man a violation of international law:
"I'm glad to see he appears unharmed, but again, this is a Taliban propaganda video. They are exploiting the soldier in violation of international law."
According to the Associated Press, General Nabi Mullakheil of the Afghan National Police said the capture occurred in Paktika Province. Their other sources inform them that he was captured by a Taliban group led by a "Maulvi Sangin", who has moved him to Ghazni Province. The Guardian quoted sources who speculated about the increased difficulty of a rescue mission if Bergdahl had been smuggled across the nearby border into Pakistan.
The Associated Press also quoted Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, as saying: "the militants holding the soldier haven't yet set any conditions for his release."
CNN described two leaflets the U.S. military was distributing, in seeking Bergdahl. Both leaflets were written in the Pashtun language. One showed a smiling GI shaking hands with Afghan children, with a caption that called him a guest in Afghanistan. The other showed a door being broken down, and contained a threat that those holding Bergdahl would be hunted down.
In December 2009, five months after his disappearance, the media arm of the Afghan Taliban announced the release of a new video of "a U.S. soldier captured in Afghanistan". The video is said to be titled, "One of Their People Testified." In the announcement the Taliban did not name the American, but the only U.S. soldier known to be in captivity was Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl.
U.S. military officials have been searching for Bergdahl, but it is not publicly known whether he is even being held in Afghanistan or neighboring in Pakistan, an area off-limits to the U.S. forces based in Afghanistan.
On Friday, December 25th, the said video was released. The video features Bergdahl wearing his combat uniform, included helmet.
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