A British couple freed after being detained for almost eight months by the Taliban have emotionally reunited with their daughter.
Peter Reynolds, 80, and his spouse Barbie, 76, who lived in Afghanistan for almost 20 years, had been on their approach house after they had been stopped on 1 February.
The couple had been launched on Friday morning by means of Qatari mediation, and later landed in Doha the place they had been embraced by their daughter. After medical checks they’ll journey to the UK, regardless of their long-term house being in Afghanistan’s Bamiyan province.
The Taliban stated the pair had damaged Afghan legal guidelines and had been launched after judicial proceedings – however has by no means disclosed the rationale for his or her detention.
There have been emotional scenes in Doha because the couple’s daughter, Sarah Entwistle, met her dad and mom as they stepped off of the aircraft. They shared lengthy hugs earlier than strolling in direction of the airport constructing collectively.
Shortly after touchdown in Doha, the couple had been seen greeting Qatari and British representatives.
Mrs Reynolds stated it was “great to be right here”, and informed information company AFP that she and her husband had been Afghan residents and appeared ahead to returning to the nation “if we are able to”.
She added that that they had been handled “very nicely”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the “long-awaited information” and stated in a press release that their launch can be of giant aid to their 4 youngsters.
He additionally paid tribute to the “very important position performed by Qatar, together with The Amir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani”.
Peter Reynolds hugs his daughter Sarah [AFP via Getty Images]
Earlier than her dad and mom landed, Ms Entwistle informed reporters that she had most just lately spoken to them final Saturday and that they had been “prepared to return house”.
Earlier, the household stated they had been “overwhelmed with gratitude and aid” on the couple’s launch.
They stated it was “a second of immense pleasure”, including in a press release that they had been “deeply grateful to everybody who performed a job in securing their launch”.
“Whereas the street to restoration will likely be lengthy as our dad and mom regain their well being and spend time with their household, right this moment is a day of great pleasure and aid.”
The household paid explicit tribute to the “unwavering help” of the Qatari mediators, in addition to the diplomatic efforts of the UK authorities and the help of the US and the UN.
Peter and Barbie Reynolds married in Kabul in 1970 and spent the previous 18 years operating a charitable coaching programme that had been authorized by native Taliban officers when the armed group reclaimed energy in 2021.
They’ve been described by household as having a lifelong love of Afghanistan, typified by their resolution to stay there after the authoritarian regime seized management in August 2021, when many different Westerners left.
Their launch follows months of public lobbying by their household, who’ve described the harrowing circumstances of their detention.
The couple’s son, Jonathan Reynolds, stated in July that his father had been struggling severe convulsions and his mom was “numb” from anaemia and malnutrition.
“My dad was chained to murderers and criminals,” he stated on the time, including that that they had at one level been held in a basement for six weeks with out daylight.
Reacting to the information of their launch on Friday, Mr Reynolds informed BBC Breakfast: “I can’t wait to place my arms round them and provides them a hug.”
Ms Entwistle beforehand stated her father had suffered a mini-stroke, whereas the UN warned that with out medical care the couple had been susceptible to irreparable hurt.
Simply six days in the past, an American lady who was detained with them and subsequently launched informed the BBC that they had been “actually dying” in jail and that “time is operating out”.
Faye Corridor, who was let go two months into her detention, highlighted that the aged couple’s well being had deteriorated quickly whereas in jail.
A Qatari official informed the BBC the couple had been moved from Kabul’s central jail to a bigger facility with higher circumstances through the ultimate stage of negotiations over their launch.
The pair have a lifelong love of Afghanistan, household say [Handout]
The official additionally stated the Qatari embassy in Kabul had supplied them with treatment, entry to a health care provider and technique of speaking with their household whereas in jail.
Taliban officers maintained they acquired enough medical care in jail and their human rights had been revered.
The UK doesn’t recognise the Taliban authorities and closed its embassy in Kabul when the group returned to energy.
The Overseas Workplace says help for British nationals in Afghanistan is due to this fact “severely restricted” and advises towards all journey to the nation.
A Taliban official stated Peter and Barbie Reynolds had been handed over to the UK’s Particular Envoy to Afghanistan, Richard Lindsay, who was pictured with the couple aboard their flight to Qatar.
The UK’s Center East minister Hamish Falconer stated he was relieved that the pair had now been freed, including: “I look ahead to them being reunited with their household quickly.”
He stated the UK had “labored intensively” to safe their launch, whereas Qatar “performed a necessary position on this case, for which I’m massively grateful”.
