A British couple in their 70s, Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, have been detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The couple, who have been running training projects in the country for 18 years, were arrested on 1 February while returning to their home in Bamiyan.
Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, told the BBC that she has not heard from them in more than two weeks.
“It’s been over two weeks since the messages stopped, and they were taken into custody,” she said, adding that the family is pleading for their release so they can “go back to their home and continue their work.”
The exact reason for their arrest remains unclear. However, their projects included training mothers and children, which had been approved by local authorities despite Taliban restrictions on women working and bans on education for girls over the age of 12.
Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who met at the University of Bath and married in Kabul in 1970, have been operating training initiatives in Afghanistan since 2009.
Their work included projects in five schools in Kabul and a program in Bamiyan. Following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, most of their staff and other Westerners left the country, but the couple insisted on staying.
After their arrest, they were initially able to exchange text messages with their four children. The family was reassured by the Taliban’s interior ministry that the couple was “fine.” However, three days later, all communication ceased, and their children have heard nothing since.
Entwistle emphasized her parents’ dedication to Afghanistan, stating, “They said they could not leave when Afghans were in their hour of need. They were meticulous about keeping by the rules even as they kept changing.”
She also expressed concern for her father’s health, as he requires heart medication following a mini-stroke. “The idea they are being held because they were teaching mothers with children is outrageous,” she told The Sunday Times.
The couple was reportedly arrested alongside their American friend, Faye Hall, and a translator from their business, according to the PA news agency.
An employee described Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds as “the most honourable people I have ever met” and expressed concern that Mr. Reynolds has been denied access to his heart medication, saying his condition is “not good.”
Entwistle and her three siblings have written a letter to the Taliban, pleading for their parents’ release. “We do not understand the reasons behind their arrest,” they wrote. “They have communicated their trust in you, and that as Afghan citizens they will be treated well.”
They further stressed that their parents had no desire to be used in political negotiations. “They would rather sacrifice their lives than become part of ransom negotiations or be traded.”
The UK Foreign Office has acknowledged that two British nationals are detained in Afghanistan but noted that diplomatic assistance is limited as the UK does not recognize the Taliban and has no embassy in Kabul.
Taliban sources told the BBC that British nationals working for a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Bamiyan province had been arrested about 20 days ago.
According to an official, the arrests were linked to the use of a plane without informing local security forces.
Since 2022, the Taliban has enforced restrictions on women working for NGOs, with authorities announcing in December 2023 that any NGO employing women would be shut down, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Source-BBC
