The images are from four propaganda videos released by the Afghan Taliban following the capture of U.S. Army soldier Pfc. Bowe Robert Bergdahl on 30 June 2009 in Paktika province.

In the upper image, the  Arabic caption in the image on the right was taken from an Indonesian language blog (http://dupahang.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/afghanistan-menjadi-vietnam-kedua-ujar-tentara-as-yang-ditawan-mujahidin/); it reads “al-aan…mu‘assasat al-imara lil-intaj al-i‘lami tuqaddim…film al-asir al-amriki bi-‘unwan ’wa-shahida shahid min ahliha—haqq aw batil’” (“now…al-Imara Media Production Foundation presents…the video of the American prisoner, entitled ‘And a witness from her family witnessed—true or false’”). The title of the video is a reference to the Qur’anic story of Joseph and the wife of his master (Q 12:26), which involves a he-said/she-said situation and stresses the importance of an eyewitness account in determining the validity of one version of a story versus another. Thus, the title implies that the video is evidence in support of the Taliban’s attacks on the United States and irrefutable proof of their capture of a U.S. solider.

More Information
Group Name Afghan Taliban
Group Type Jihadist Group
Group Affiliation Local Jihad (Independent entities with limited or no ties to international / external movements)
Dominant Colors Red
Secondary Colors Yellow, White
Isolated Phrases / Mottoes / Slogans 1) Q 12:26 wa-shahida shahid min ahliha 2) haqq aw batil
Image Number 0231
Groups Region of Operation South Asia
Groups Country of Operation Afghanistan
Date Image Created Online 26/12/2009
Date Image Created Online Details The video surfaced circa 12/26/2009
Weapons Cold Weapons and Defensive Armor, Body Armor (including Gas Mask, Helmet)
Body Parts Face / Bust
Air Storm / Wind, Clouds / Fog, Sky
Geopolitical Symbols Symbol of party, movement or company, Slogan
Geopolitical Analysis Taliban media company al-Imara logo - white calligraphic representation of the word imara, with a globe above it and surrounded by a traditional domed structure
People Operative / Warrior (=mujahid), Man / Men
People Analysis U.S. soldier Pfc. Bergdahl
Religious Textual References Quranic Text, Quranic Citations, Text manipulation, Use of Calligraphy
Religious Textual References Analysis 12:26. The partial verse is taken out of Qur'anic context and applied to a recent event; its use gives a false sense of religious authority; the partial text is used as a stock phrase rather than to express a meaningful connection with the Qur'anic story.
Topography Desert Dunes

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