Taliban Releases New Video of U.S., Australian Hostages

The Taliban has released a new video purporting to show two Westerners abducted in Kabul while working as teachers last year. The video, released Wednesday, was posted on social-media sites and distributed by the Taliban’s main spokesman, though its authenticity could not be independently verified. It showed U.S. citizen Kevin King and Australian citizen Timothy Weeks asking their respective governments to arrange a prisoner exchange with the Taliban in exchange for their freedom. The pair had made a similar appeal in a video released in January. A State Department official cited by CNN said U.S. authorities are “committed to seeing our citizens returned safely” but did not offer further comment on any specific rescue efforts. Weeks and King were kidnapped near the American University in Kabul in August 2016.