Son of British couple held by Taliban ‘ecstatic’ as they return to UK

The son of a British couple, who was detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for about eight months, was released and “overwhelmed”.

80 -year -old Peter Reynolds and 76 -year -old wife Barbie, who has been living in Afghanistan for about twenty years, will fly to England on Saturday after coming together with their daughters in Qatar.

Jonathan Reynolds said that BBC Radio 4 was “ecstatic and largely grateful to those who participated in the Today’s Today program and released.

Taliban, who was detained on his way home on February 1, said that the couple broke the Afghan laws and released after judicial proceedings – but the Islamist group never explained a reason for being detained.

The couple’s daughter Sarah Entwist met with emotional scenes on Friday as they met their family as they left the plane in Doha.

“We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan. We are looking forward to return to Afghanistan. We are a citizen of Afghan.” He said.

His sons Jonathan reiterated these hopes and would be “to continue to live there and do their work”.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised the “vital role” played by Qatar in his release.

Peter and Barbie Reynolds married in Kabul in 1970, and the last 18 years, when the armed group reclaimed the power in 2021, run a philanthropist training program approved by local Taliban officials.

“Not only a heart for the people of Afghanistan, but also their strategies, and their work had a very efficient and largely positive effect,” Jonathan told the BBC. He said.

A few weeks ago, he said he managed to share the results of his “really encouraging” reports about his programs with his parents.

Barbie’s first reaction was “more work to do,” he said.

Jonathan, “But how do you do it in a country where you are not welcome.”

His love to Afghanistan was shown by the decisions of staying in the state of Bamiyan after the authoritarian regime seized control in August 2021.

The release of the couple follows the public lobbying for months by their families who define the sad conditions of their detention.

In July, Jonathan said that his father had serious convulsions and that his mother was “numb” without anemia and malnutrition.

A Qatar official told the BBC that the couple had moved to a larger facility from Kabul’s central prison in the final stage of the negotiations on their release.

The Taliban officials claimed that they had sufficient medical care during detention and that human rights were respected.

The couple was receiving medical controls in Doha, the capital of Qatar before going to London. AFP will come on a commercial flight on Saturday morning.

The British did not recognize the Taliban government and when the group returned to power, he closed his embassy in Kabul.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that support to British citizens in Afghanistan is “seriously limited” and advised the country against all travels.