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'Misunderstanding' in arrest of British couple in Afghanistan, Taliban says

Tuesday, 25 February 2025 17:11

The arrest of a British couple in Afghanistan was over a "misunderstanding", the Taliban has said.

Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, were detained by the Taliban's interior ministry on 1 February.

The reason for their arrests was immediately unknown.

But the Taliban said on Tuesday that the couple were detained due to a "misunderstanding" that they had fake Afghan passports.

The four adult children of the couple said last week that their parents were married in Kabul in 1970 and have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years - remaining after the withdrawal of Western troops and the Taliban's return to power in 2021.

The couple runs an organisation named Rebuild, which provides education and training programmes for businesses, government agencies, educational organisations and nongovernmental groups.

Mr and Mrs Reynolds, who are also Afghan citizens, allegedly texted their children after their arrests saying they did not want Western authorities to get involved.

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In a letter to the Taliban, their children wrote: "Our parents have consistently expressed their commitment to Afghanistan, stating that they would rather sacrifice their lives than become part of ransom negotiations or be traded.

"We trust that this is not your intention, as we are instructed to respect their wishes to remain with you."

The Taliban have released no further details nor confirmed if the couple have now been released.

On Monday, the BBC reported the Taliban as saying they would "endeavour" to release the couple "as soon as possible".

Sky News