Peter and Barbie Reynolds, a British couple in their 70s and 80s, have spoken out about their harrowing experience of being detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly eight months. The couple, who had been running a charity program in the country for nearly two decades, were arrested on February 1st and held in ten different prisons. They stated that at no point were they given a clear reason for their detention or release.
During their imprisonment, both Peter and Barbie suffered from poor health, including severe anaemia. While Taliban officials claimed they received adequate medical care and their human rights were respected, the couple described facing extreme hardship, including two months spent in basement cells with no windows. Their ordeal finally ended when “good, old-fashioned diplomacy” secured their release, with significant help from Qatar, according to Middle East minister Hamish Falconer.
Peter and Barbie, who married in Afghanistan in 1970 and have a deep affection for the country, were involved in educational projects that trained women and children. Despite the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s work and education, their projects had reportedly been approved by local authorities. Upon their return to the UK, they expressed that they have much to process and are leaving behind their home and possessions, but expressed confidence in the Afghan people to build a positive future for their nation.