Pentagon IDs Soldier Caught by Taliban

He may have been visiting a woman when caught: officials
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 19, 2009 6:04 PM CDT

The Taliban released this video of Bowe Bergdahl after capturing him in Paktika Province.
(YouTube)

Pentagon officials have confirmed that Bowe Bergdahl, 23, is the captured US soldier seen this weekend in a Taliban video, ABC News reports. Bergdahl says in the video that he was caught after falling behind in a foot patrol, but Defense Department officials say he may have left his Paktika Province base at night with Afghan soldiers to meet a woman. He may have also had past behavioral problems, they said.

Officials simply declared him "missing-captured" on July 3. Today, Bergdahl's family in Hailey, Idaho, is keeping a low profile at the request of military officials. "We hope and pray for our son's safe return to his comrades and then to his family," the Bergdahls said in a statement. (More Taliban stories.)

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