A British couple released by the Taliban in Afghanistan last week say they were detained in 10 different prisons and at one point thought they would be executed. Peter, 80, and wife Barbie Reynolds, 76, said it was never explained to them why they were being held, nor why they were released. The couple, who have run a charity programme in Afghanistan for almost two decades, arrived back in the UK on Saturday after seven and a half months in detention.
Good, old-fashioned diplomacy ended their ordeal, Hamish Falconer, minister for the Middle East, told the BBC, and again thanked the government of Qatar, which helped mediate their release.
Both suffered health problems while in prison, including severe anaemia. Taliban officials maintained they received adequate medical care during their detention and that their human rights were respected. They were arrested on 1 February this year after taking a chartered flight from Kabul to Bamiyan province, along with friend Faye Hall and their translator who were later released.
A spokesperson for the Taliban foreign ministry stated that they had served their time but did not reveal the reasons for their detention. We have a lot to process, Peter Reynolds said in written remarks. We are leaving behind quality people, our home, and all our possessions.
The couple's refusal to return to Afghanistan is fueled by the absence of a UK embassy and heightened risks for British nationals. The couple expressed confidence in the local people of Afghanistan to foster positive change without their presence, despite their deep connections to the country where they were married in 1970.
Good, old-fashioned diplomacy ended their ordeal, Hamish Falconer, minister for the Middle East, told the BBC, and again thanked the government of Qatar, which helped mediate their release.
Both suffered health problems while in prison, including severe anaemia. Taliban officials maintained they received adequate medical care during their detention and that their human rights were respected. They were arrested on 1 February this year after taking a chartered flight from Kabul to Bamiyan province, along with friend Faye Hall and their translator who were later released.
A spokesperson for the Taliban foreign ministry stated that they had served their time but did not reveal the reasons for their detention. We have a lot to process, Peter Reynolds said in written remarks. We are leaving behind quality people, our home, and all our possessions.
The couple's refusal to return to Afghanistan is fueled by the absence of a UK embassy and heightened risks for British nationals. The couple expressed confidence in the local people of Afghanistan to foster positive change without their presence, despite their deep connections to the country where they were married in 1970.
