**In a recent development, Faye Hall has been released by the Taliban after a two-month detention, while concerns remain for the welfare of two other Western detainees.**
**Taliban Releases American Faye Hall After Two-Month Detention**
**Taliban Releases American Faye Hall After Two-Month Detention**
**Faye Hall returns home as the Taliban continues to detain Western nationals and U.S. envoy applauds Qatar's role.**
The Taliban government has announced the release of Faye Hall, an American citizen who was held captive for two months. The news comes via Zalmay Khalilzad, a former U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, who stated on social media that Hall would soon be heading home, currently under the guidance of Qatari officials. She was detained in February along with a British couple, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, both in their seventies, and their Afghan interpreter while traveling to Bamyan province.
The reasons for their arrest remain undisclosed by Afghan authorities, but the elderly couple had previously engaged in training programs focused on women and girls in Afghanistan, choosing to remain in the country following the Taliban's return to power. Hall's release marks a continuing trend, as she is the fourth American to be freed since January thanks to negotiations facilitated by Qatar. Just days prior, another American citizen, George Glezmann, was released under what was described by officials as humanitarian grounds.
The U.S. State Department has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the situation. Khalilzad's comments highlight Qatar's mediation role in facilitating communications between the U.S. and the Taliban. Relations seem to be in a delicate phase following high-level talks held in Kabul, which are significant since they represent the most direct engagement since President Biden took office, with ongoing uncertainty surrounding the policy direction toward Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Faye Hall's companions, the Reynolds, remain in custody, prompting concerns about their well-being. Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, has expressed distress, revealing her father is suffering from several severe health issues while imprisoned, including infections and allegations of mistreatment. She is publicly appealing to the Taliban for their prompt release, emphasizing the dire medical needs of her elderly father.
