The Taliban has released an elderly British couple detained in Afghanistan for nearly eight months, with Qatari mediation playing a role in securing their freedom.
The Taliban has released a British couple who had been held in Afghanistan for nearly eight months, officials confirmed on Friday. Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife, Barbie Reynolds, 76, were detained in February while returning to their home in Bamiyan Province.
The couple, who spent almost two decades running education and training programs in Afghanistan, were accused by Afghan authorities of violating the country’s laws. “They had violated the laws of Afghanistan,” Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for the Afghan foreign ministry, wrote on social media, adding that they were freed “following the judicial process.” He did not elaborate on the charges.
The Reynolds were arrested on February 1 after years of involvement in development work through a company they founded in 2009. Their detention sparked lobbying from family members and calls for action by the British government.
An Afghan official said the Qatari government played a key role in facilitating the couple’s release.