Elderly British couple arrive at Heathrow after 8 months inside Taliban prison
An elderly British couple who were held by the Taliban in an Afghan prison have returned to Britain after being detained in Kabul for eight months.
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Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband Peter, 80, were seen smiling as they arrived at Heathrow Airport after being released on Friday through Qatari mediation.
Barbie and Peter came back to Britain via Doha, after they had been taken to the Qatari capital for medical checks and to be reunited with their daughter, Sarah Entwistle.
The couple were arrested while returning to their home in Bamyan province in February before being held without charge in a maximum security prison.
They had lived in Afghanistan for nearly two decades.
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Their son Jonathan Reynolds said he was “ecstatic and massively grateful” to the people who played a part in securing his parents’ release.
The Taliban said the pair had broken Afghan laws and were released after judicial proceedings - but the group have never revealed the reason for their detention.
The couple, who wed in Kabul in 1970, were encouraged to flee the country when the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, but decided to stay as "they could not leave when Afghans were in their hour of need".
Together, they run an organisation called Rebuild, which facilitates education and training programmes for civilians.
In a statement on Friday, their family said: "We are overwhelmed with gratitude and relief to share that our parents, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, have been released after seven months and 21 days in detention by the Taliban.
"This is a moment of immense joy for our family, and we are deeply thankful to everyone who played a role in securing their release."
The family said they wanted to extend their appreciation to the emir of Qatar for his leadership and compassion, and also thanked Mohammed Al Khulaifi and Mirdef Al Qashouti for their "tireless diplomatic efforts and unwavering support throughout this ordeal".
The statement said: "Their dedication and humanity have made an unforgettable impact on our lives.
"We are also extremely grateful to the UK Government for its commitment and support to our family, including ensuring that our parents had access to essential medication during their detention and upon release.
"We further thank the US government for its support to the US members of our family, and to the UN special rapporteurs for their intervention and support.
"This experience has reminded us of the power of diplomacy, empathy, and international cooperation.
"While the road to recovery will be long as our parents regain their health and spend time with their family, today is a day of tremendous joy and relief.
"We are forever grateful to the Qataris for standing with us during this difficult time.
"Thank you for giving us our family back."
Tatyana Eatwell, who was a part of Barbie and Peter Reynolds's legal team, told LBC's Tom Swarbrick: "The couple have actually said that they would like to return to Afghanistan in the future.
"They say they're Afghan citizens, so that's quite remarkable after the experience they've been through. It is. And I think it's a reflection. I mean, the whole family, actually, both the children and Peter and Barbie have, you know, conducted themselves with huge amounts of dignity and resilience throughout this ordeal."
Ms Eatwell added: "I think Barbie's comment is a reflection of her and her husband's deep love for Afghanistan and the Afghan people. As I said before, they devoted their life and work to Afghanistan and they were deeply connected with the community there.
"And, yeah, I think sort of, they just have a great love and dedication for the people of that country. So it's not surprising that she would want to return one day."
Upon their release, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “I welcome the release of Peter and Barbara Reynolds from detention in Afghanistan, and I know this long-awaited news will come as a huge relief to them and their family.
“I want to pay tribute to the vital role played by Qatar, including The Amir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, in securing their freedom.”