Hostages Kevin King and Timothy Weeks Plead for Help in Newly Released Taliban Video

An Australian and an American, Timothy Weeks and Kevin King, professors abducted in Kabul in August 2016, urged their governments to open talks with their captors, the Taliban, in order to secure their releases, in a video released on June 21.The two men, who said in the video they were being treated fairly by their captors, including being given access to medical care and given food, urged their government leaders to be cautious of any military actions in Afghanistan that could lead directly to their executions.In a strangely edited portion of Mr King’s speech, he says, “First Lady Trump, Ms Ivanka Trump, and Mr. Jarard Kushner, my best wishes from captivity. I hope that you can help me save my life and secure my release. I really need your help. Please recommend my release to the president.” The edits in the video, as well as the mispronunciation of Jared Kushner’s first name are hints that the statements read by both men were written directly by their Taliban captors, who have kept the two men for nearly 10 months.Both were abducted from their vehicle while traveling in Kabul on August 7, 2016, according to an FBI report on the kidnapping. Credit: Taliban: Al-Emara Studio