The Taliban has informed the BBC of their commitment to releasing two British nationals who were arrested in Afghanistan, Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, in Bamiyan province on 1 February. Alongside the couple, an American national and an Afghan were also detained, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Interior Affairs. The UK Foreign Office has stated its support for the family of the detained individuals.
Taliban official Abdul Mateen Qani stated that after considering various factors, efforts will be made to expedite the release of the detained individuals. It was noted that all three foreigners possessed Afghan passports and national ID cards. The reason behind the arrest of the Reynolds couple has not been officially confirmed. Despite the Taliban’s restrictions on education for girls over the age of 12 and women working, the couple had been involved in training projects in Afghanistan for nearly two decades.
Having tied the knot in Kabul in 1970, the Reynolds couple chose to stay in Afghanistan even after the Taliban regained power in August 2021, resulting in the departure of most westerners from the country. The lack of communication with their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, for over two weeks has raised concerns. Ms. Entwistle and her siblings have appealed to the Taliban for their parents’ release, emphasizing their dedication to Afghanistan over any form of ransom negotiations or exchanges. The closure of the UK embassy in Kabul and the withdrawal of British diplomats due to the Taliban’s resurgence has limited support for British nationals in Afghanistan, with the Foreign Office advising against travel to the country
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