Al Jazeera airs German hostage video

DUBAI - Al Jazeera television broadcasted a video showing a German man held by Afghanistan's Taleban insurgents and said he appealed to Berlin and Washington to withdraw their troops from the Central Asian country.

The man appeared in the video against a rocky backdrop in a hilly area. Al Jazeera did not play the sound of the video.

"The German hostage Rudolf B. urged Germany and the United States to pull out their forces from Afghanistan and urged his country to help save his life and secure his return toas demanded the release of 10 Taleban prisoners held by the Afghan government and the withdrawal of German troops from Afghanistan in exchange for the hostages' freedom.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Berlin will not give in to the kidnappers' demands.

German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said the video was a deliberate attempt to intimidate and ministry experts were assessing it.

The ministry's special crisis unit is continuing its intensive efforts to secure the hostage's release, he added.

- REUTERS