Captured U.S. soldier has been 'sold' to Haqqani group: Taliban

Kabul, July 3 (ANI): Taliban representatives have said that the American soldier kidnapped by them has been sold to a local insurgent group, and added that they will release a video to prove their claim.

Military officials said low-level militants in Afghanistan's Patika province nabbed the soldier and reportedly "sold" him to members of the Haqqani network, a hard-line terror group with ties to the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden.

"Our leaders have not decided on the fate of this soldier," a Haqqani commander told a foreign news agency.

"They will decide on his fate and soon we will present video tapes of the coalition soldier and our demand to media," he added.

It is the first time a U.S. soldier has been captured in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001.

The identity of the soldier has not been released to protect his safety as U.S. forces tried to seal off the area to prevent him from being taken to Pakistan.

The soldier's family has been notified of his capture. (ANI)