A British couple, Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, have been released after being detained for nearly eight months by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The couple were apprehended on February 1 while returning home, having lived in Afghanistan for almost two decades. Their release was facilitated through mediation by Qatari officials, who indicated that they would first travel to Qatar for medical examinations before continuing on to the UK.
The Taliban stated that the couple had violated Afghan laws but did not specify the reasons for their detention. Peter and Barbie Reynolds had previously run a charitable training program in Afghanistan, which had been approved by the Taliban when they regained power in 2021. The couple married in Kabul in 1970 and chose to remain in Afghanistan even as many Westerners evacuated following the Taliban’s takeover.
Their release came amidst public lobbying by their family, who reported troubling health conditions during their detention. Their son, Jonathan, mentioned that his father experienced serious convulsions and that his mother suffered from anemia and malnutrition. Family members also stated that Peter Reynolds was chained with criminals during his imprisonment and that the couple had been held in a dark basement without sunlight for an extended period.
An American woman who was detained around the same time, Faye Hall, previously described their deteriorating health conditions, claiming that they were “literally dying” in prison. Taliban officials contended that the couple received adequate medical care and that their human rights were upheld during their imprisonment. The UK government does not recognize the Taliban regime and has advised against travel to Afghanistan, stating that support for British nationals there is significantly limited. Upon their release, a Taliban official confirmed the couple’s handover to the UK’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0q7l8ewj0wo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss