The U.S. military obtained new video of the American prisoner of war Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl who was seized in Afghanistan in June, 2009, CNN reported. Bergdahl, a native of Wood Valley Idaho, is believed to be held captive by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network in Pakistan. Spending almost five years in captivity, and "the so-called proof-of-life video, the first of him in nearly three years, has a reference to December 14, 2013," CNN also reported.
Previous efforts to free Bergdahl have failed.
"Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been gone far too long, and we continue to call and work toward his safe and immediate release. We cannot discuss all the details of our effort, but there should be no doubt that on a daily basis - using our military, intelligence and diplomatic tools - we work to see Sgt. Bergdahl returned home safely," said a Pentagon spokesman.
Bergday was 23 when captured at a combat outpost in southeastern Paktika province, according to news reports. The U.S. government acknowledged it had been engaged in talks with the Taliban in hopes of freeing Bergdahl.
In late 2012, "the White House announced it was willing to send five Taliban prisoners to Qatar in exchange for Bergdahl," CNN also reported.
"As we have done so many times over the past 4 and a half years, we request his captors to release him safely so that our only son can be reunited with his mother and father," the statement reads. "BOWE - If see this, continue to remain strong through patience. Your endurance will carry you to the finish line. Breathe!", read the soldier's family statement in response to the new video, as also reported by CNN.
