The couple, aged 79 and 75, were arrested while working on community projects in Afghanistan amidst Taliban restrictions on education and women's employment.
**Taliban Promises Efforts to Secure Release of Detained British Couple**
**Taliban Promises Efforts to Secure Release of Detained British Couple**
The Taliban has expressed its intention to release a detained British couple, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who have been held since February.
The Taliban has announced its commitment to try to release British nationals Peter and Barbie Reynolds, aged 79 and 75, detained in Afghanistan since February 1. The couple, alongside an American and an Afghan, was arrested while returning home to Bamiyan province. Taliban official Abdul Mateen Qani mentioned that multiple factors are being evaluated to facilitate their release "as soon as possible."
The couple was involved in training initiatives in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, including projects for educating mothers and children, which were reportedly authorized by local authorities. However, these efforts have come under scrutiny following the Taliban's stringent bans on education for girls over 12 and restrictions on women's employment within NGOs.
Peter and Barbie Reynolds have been residents of Afghanistan since their marriage in Kabul in 1970, choosing to stay even after the Taliban regained power in August 2021, causing many Westerners to leave. Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, expressed concern over the lack of communication with her parents, who she last heard from over two weeks ago.
Ms. Entwistle revealed that the family had sent a letter to the Taliban, advocating for her parents’ release and acknowledging the complications often surrounding such negotiations. She stated that her parents have always expressed allegiance to Afghanistan, even preferring to avoid being part of any ransom dealings.
As pressure mounts for clarity on the situation, she urged the British government to intensify efforts to obtain answers and advocate for the couple's safe return. With the UK having closed its embassy and diminished presence in Afghanistan, support and interaction with British nationals in the region remains severely restricted.
The couple was involved in training initiatives in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, including projects for educating mothers and children, which were reportedly authorized by local authorities. However, these efforts have come under scrutiny following the Taliban's stringent bans on education for girls over 12 and restrictions on women's employment within NGOs.
Peter and Barbie Reynolds have been residents of Afghanistan since their marriage in Kabul in 1970, choosing to stay even after the Taliban regained power in August 2021, causing many Westerners to leave. Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, expressed concern over the lack of communication with her parents, who she last heard from over two weeks ago.
Ms. Entwistle revealed that the family had sent a letter to the Taliban, advocating for her parents’ release and acknowledging the complications often surrounding such negotiations. She stated that her parents have always expressed allegiance to Afghanistan, even preferring to avoid being part of any ransom dealings.
As pressure mounts for clarity on the situation, she urged the British government to intensify efforts to obtain answers and advocate for the couple's safe return. With the UK having closed its embassy and diminished presence in Afghanistan, support and interaction with British nationals in the region remains severely restricted.
