American held by Taliban allies in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — A U.S. official says an American civilian is being held by a Taliban-linked militant group in Afghanistan.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said the man is being held by the Haqqani network, a family-run militant group that operates along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The official would not discuss the man’s identity or the circumstances of his capture. It was first reported Wednesday by the Daily Beast web site.

The official said the FBI, the White House and the man’s wife have urged public officials and media organizations not to discuss the matter publicly.

On Monday, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), wrote a letter to President Obama urging that he appoint a federal hostage recovery coordinator.