American Taliban hostage desperately begs Trump administration for help in heartbreaking video

Timothy Weekes and Kevin King were abducted by the Taliban.

A heartbreaking video was released on YouTube, revealing two hostages' desperation to escape their fates.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - "My name is Timothy John Weekes. My father's name is Mervin Dawson Weekes. My mother's name is Mary Jane Weekes. I am a teacher at the University- American University of Kabul."

Weekes, looking gaunt and with growing head and facial hair, continues, describing the circumstances by which he and fellow hostage Kevin King were abducted by the Taliban.

On August 9, Weekes and King left the university. Their security vehicle was ambushed and they were kidnapped by heavily armed Taliban members.

They have been kept as hostages for five months.

"The people who promised to take care of us and help us when something went wrong have forsaken their promise and we are here with no help and with no hope," Weekes stated.

He explained how the University and American government have attempted to negotiate an exchange but over the past five months there remains no progress.

"The people of America and the government of America must talk to the Taliban. The Taliban have asked for soldiers to be released...The Taliban look after us here and they treat us well. We eat what they eat."

Weekes expresses his fear and, through tears, says, "I don't want to die here."

He continues to ask the university and American government for help and fears if a negotiation is not cemented soon, he and King will be killed.

King appears next, looking much worse for wear.

"I-I am Kevin King. I was kidnapped by Taliban in Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan and we are being held hostage right now. My mother's name is Katherine and my sister's name is Stephanie."

King's voice cracks at his sister's name and he struggles to speak. He also asks the American people to put pressure on both the American government and university to negotiate their freedom.

"We just want to get home. We're okay here but we really need to get home," King says.

He repeats Weekes' message of exchanging prisoners, pressuring the government and school, getting home to see his family and what fate lies before them should no one respond.

King and Weekes are put together, where they send Donald Trump a personal message.

Weekes is bend over, weeping, while King appears uncomfortable and says:

"I'm Kevin King, a teacher at American University. I was kidnapped along with Tim and this was almost 5 months ago, Mr. President. We haven't heard anything and we don't know why the government and the university cannot talk to the Taliban more to try to secure our release.

"We just want them to continue talking so that we can get- so that we can be released and see our families again."

He continues, voice breaking and body shifting from side-to-side.

"Try to arrange some kind of -an exchange so we can see our families again and go home....We wish, we hope that you can put pressure on them so they can negotiate more...So please, please talk to them because we don't know how much longer the Taliban will be patient."

Weekes lifts his head and repeats the message in his own words while King wipes away tears from his face. He often stares off into space as Weekes shares how long they have been captured and their predicament.

The video was recorded January 1 and has been viewed over 18,000 times.

Neither King, an American, nor Weekes, Australian, attempted to contact Australia and focused entirely on the United States, which has Taliban prisoners on some of its Middle Eastern bases.

In September, U.S. officials announced American forces launched a rescue mission but neither captive was at the raid site.

Now, with the new presidential administration, it would seem the Taliban is willing to attempt renegotiating.

According to CBS News, State Department spokesman Mark Toner reported U.S. authorities studying the video have yet to confirm its authenticity.

He declined to comment on the case but did state: "Taking and holding civilian hostages is reprehensible and we condemn such actions in the strongest terms."

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also issued a statement in which they said the "Australian government has been working closely with other governments to secure the release of an Australian man kidnapped in Afghanistan in August 2016."

Citing the Weekes family's request for privacy, the Australian government refused to offer further comments.

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