The son of a British couple detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly eight months has expressed his overwhelming joy at their release.
Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, who had lived in Afghanistan for almost two decades, are set to return to the UK following their reunion with their daughter Sarah in Qatar.
Jonathan Reynolds shared his ecstatic feeling and gratitude on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, thanking those who contributed to securing his parents' freedom.
The couple was taken hostage on February 1 when they were making their way home, with Taliban authorities claiming they had violated Afghan laws, although no specific reasons for their detention were provided.
Emotional scenes unfolded as Sarah Entwistle welcomed her parents off the plane in Doha. Barbie stated their intentions to possibly return to Afghanistan, claiming, We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens,” while Jonathan echoed their hopes of resuming their charitable work in the region.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised Qatar's crucial involvement in negotiating their release.
Peter and Barbie married in Kabul in 1970 and established a charitable training programme with the Taliban's approval post-2021 takeover. Their son's advocacy highlighted the positive impact of their work, which had reportedly led to encouraging results shared with them over the phone before their release.
The couple's detention had led to public outcry, with Jonathan revealing his father's deteriorating health conditions and his mother's anemia and malnutrition.
Concerns about their well-being during their time in prison raised alarming issues about the treatment of detainees under the Taliban regime. Nonetheless, the Taliban claimed that they received appropriate medical care and that their human rights were respected.
Peter and Barbie are currently undergoing medical evaluations before their planned departure to London. The situation underlines the UK’s limited support for its nationals in Afghanistan, as the government has advised against all travel to the country since it does not acknowledge the Taliban's authority.
