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The Taliban released video early Wednesday morning which purports to show the moments Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was released into U.S. custody.
A link to the footage was initially tweeted out by a Taliban spokesperson, followed by ABC News foreign correspondent Muhammad Lila and Washington Post Kabul bureau chief Kevin Sieff.
BREAKING: Taliban have released video of Bergdahl prisoner exchange. Includes 9+ mins of raw, unedited footage showing handover.
— Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) June 4, 2014
The Taliban just released this video of Bergdahl's release: http://t.co/66ZJtBiEKh
— Kevin Sieff (@ksieff) June 4, 2014
It shows a helicopter land in a green valley, as apparent members of the Taliban stand perched on surrounding hills with weapons.
— Scroll down for Video —
A new video posted online by the Taliban purports to show Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl released into U.S. custody. (Image source: Screen grab)
A new video posted online by the Taliban purports to show Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl released into U.S. custody. (Image source: Screen grab)
Non-uniformed individuals, likely Americans, then walk over and shake hands with Bergdahl's captors, who are holding a white flag.
A shaky Bergdahl, seen holding a plastic bag, then appears to be escorted to the military chopper. The entire handover appears peaceful.
A new video posted online by the Taliban purports to show Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl released into U.S. custody. (Image source: Screen grab)
Absent from the video is audio. Lila, however, reported that at one point in the video, the words "Don't Come Back to Afghanistan" are superimposed over the video.
MORE: At one point, the words "Don't Come Back to Afghanistan" are superimposed over an image of Bergdahl awaiting his release.
— Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) June 4, 2014
The footage, if authentic, offers the first images of Bergdahl seen during the handover.
A new video posted online by the Taliban purports to show Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl released into U.S. custody. (Image source: Screen grab)
A new video posted online by the Taliban purports to show Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl released into U.S. custody. (Image source: Screen grab)
Over the weekend, President Barack Obama announced that Bergdahl had been released, in exchange for five members of the Taliban that had been held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
Follow Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) on Twitter
