A British couple freed after being detained for practically eight months by the Taliban have emotionally reunited with their daughter, sharing hugs after touchdown in Qatar.
Peter Reynolds, 80, and his spouse Barbie, 76, who lived in Afghanistan for practically twenty years, had been on their manner residence after they had been stopped on 1 February.
The couple had been launched on Friday morning via Qatari mediation, and later landed in Doha the place they had been met by their daughter. After medical checks they may journey to the UK, regardless of their long-term residence being in Afghanistan’s Bamiyan province.
The Taliban mentioned the pair had damaged Afghan legal guidelines and had been launched after judicial proceedings – however has by no means disclosed the explanation for his or her detention.
There have been emotional scenes in Doha because the couple’s daughter, Sarah Entwistle, met her mother and father as they stepped off of the airplane. They shared lengthy hugs earlier than strolling collectively in the direction of the airport constructing.
Shortly after touchdown in Doha, the couple had been seen greeting Qatari and British representatives.
Mrs Reynolds mentioned it was “great to be right here”, and informed information company AFP that she and her husband had been Afghan residents and regarded ahead to returning to the nation “if we are able to”.
She added that they’d been handled “very nicely”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the “long-awaited information” and mentioned in an announcement that their launch can be of big reduction 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 mother and father landed, Ms Entwistle informed reporters that she had most just lately spoken to them final Saturday and that they had been “prepared to come back residence”.
Earlier, the household mentioned they had been “overwhelmed with gratitude and reduction” on the couple’s launch.
They mentioned it was “a second of immense pleasure”, including in an announcement that they had been “deeply grateful to everybody who performed a job in securing their launch”.
“Whereas the highway to restoration might be lengthy as our mother and father regain their well being and spend time with their household, right now is a day of super pleasure and reduction.”
The household paid specific tribute to the “unwavering assist” of the Qatari mediators, in addition to the diplomatic efforts of the UK authorities and the assist of the US and the UN.
Peter and Barbie Reynolds married in Kabul in 1970 and spent the previous 18 years working 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 choice 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 situations of their detention.
The couple’s son, Jonathan Reynolds, mentioned 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 mentioned on the time, including that they’d 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 mentioned her father had suffered a mini-stroke, whereas the UN warned that with out medical care the couple had been liable to irreparable hurt.
Simply six days in the past, an American lady who was detained with them and subsequently launched informed the BBC they’d been “actually dying” in jail and that “time is working 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 situations in the course of the last stage of negotiations over their launch.
The pair have a lifelong love of Afghanistan, household say [Handout]
The official additionally mentioned the Qatari embassy in Kabul had supplied them with remedy, entry to a physician and technique of speaking with their household whereas in jail.
Taliban officers maintained they acquired sufficient 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 International Workplace says assist for British nationals in Afghanistan is subsequently “severely restricted” and advises towards all journey to the nation.
A Taliban official mentioned 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 mentioned he was relieved that the pair had now been freed, including: “I look ahead to them being reunited with their household quickly.”
He mentioned the UK had “labored intensively” to safe their launch, whereas Qatar “performed a necessary position on this case, for which I’m massively grateful”.
