Additional Coverage:
A British couple held in Afghanistan since February has been released. Peter and Barbie Reynolds, ages 80 and 76 respectively, were detained by the Taliban and held without charge for seven months.
They were arrested while traveling to their home in Bamyan province, located northwest of Kabul. Much of their detainment was spent separated from one another.
The Taliban claim the couple’s arrest stemmed from violations of domestic laws, though the specific offenses remain undisclosed. The Reynolds were held in a maximum-security prison until their release on Friday. They are now en route to their home via Qatar, which played a key role in negotiating their freedom.
Before leaving Kabul, Mrs. Reynolds expressed her eagerness to reunite with family but maintained their desire to return to Afghanistan, where they have operated an education and training organization for 18 years.
Their family had voiced growing concerns about the couple’s declining health while in prison. Their son, Jonathan Reynolds, previously revealed his father had been chained to other prisoners and deprived of sunlight.
Another detainee, American Faye Hall, who was held with the couple before her own release in April, described their health as rapidly deteriorating.
British officials expressed relief at the couple’s release and thanked Qatar for its diplomatic efforts. While the British government reiterated its advisory against travel to Afghanistan, U.K. special envoy Richard Lindsay, who accompanied the Reynolds on their flight out of Kabul, expressed gratitude to the Qatari government. A senior Qatari diplomat echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of peaceful resolutions to conflict.
The Reynolds have a long history with Afghanistan, having married there 55 years ago and choosing to remain even after the Taliban regained control in 2021.