Barbie and Peter Reynolds, who have lived in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years, were detained in February and have now been released after almost eight months in captivity
An elderly British couple held by the Taliban in Afghanistan has been released after enduring nearly eight months in captivity. Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband Peter, 80, long-term residents who dedicated their “life in service” to the nation, had feared they would perish behind bars.
Months of desperate public campaigning by their family has finally resulted in their liberation, and they have boarded a flight departing the country. The pair were seized back in February whilst travelling to their home in Bamyan Province, central Afghanistan.
The circumstances surrounding their detention remain a mystery, reports the Mirror. However, they have been freed from custody today and are being transported to Doha following Qatar-led mediation efforts.
Speaking at Kabul Airport, Mrs Reynolds informed Sky News: “We’ve been treated very well. We’re looking forward to seeing our children. We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens.”
A Qatari official familiar with the situation confirmed the couple, who have called Afghanistan home for almost two decades, will receive medical examinations before continuing their journey to the UK.
During the concluding phase of negotiations, they were moved from Kabul’s central prison to a larger facility, it has been verified. Barbie and Peter, who first met at Bath University, declined to abandon Afghanistan despite the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
American citizen Faye Hall, who was detained alongside the couple, was freed by the Taliban after eight weeks in captivity. The couple, who have been together since the 1960s and tied the knot in the Afghan capital about 50 years ago, are set to reunite with their family in the coming hours following their liberation.
In July, their son Jonathan Reynolds made a heartfelt appeal, stating they “need out now” as their health is “deteriorating fast”. Jonathan revealed his parents had been held without any charges and were being kept separately in a high-security prison.
He detailed how his father experienced severe convulsions while imprisoned and his mother is “numb” due to malnutrition and anaemia. He said: “It’s horrific that they’re still held in captivity without, to our understanding, for a period of time without any natural sunlight and not even allowed outside. So their health in so many areas is deteriorating, and it’s deteriorating fast.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
#OAP #Brit #couple #held #Afghanistan #Taliban #finally #released #sevenmonth #horror
