An elderly British couple held in Afghanistan for almost eight months were freed on Friday.
Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbara, 76, were arrested in February as they returned to their home.
Their family and UN experts had warned about deteriorating health. Barbara said at Kabul airport that they had been treated well and were eager to see their children.
Released after health fears and months of appeals
The couple married in Kabul in 1970 and later became Afghan citizens after decades of running education programmes in the country.
Handover to UK envoy follows Qatar mediation
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said the pair were released after a judicial process and handed to the UK’s special representative, Richard Lindsay.
Images aired by private media showed the couple with Lindsay at Kabul airport before departure to Doha.
A Qatari official said the release followed months of mediation by Qatar in close coordination with the British government.
The Afghan ministry noted that matters involving foreign citizens are not viewed through a political or transactional lens.
Why they were detained remains unclear
Taliban officials did not specify the reason for the arrests, saying only that the pair had violated Afghan laws.
The UN had urged their release in late July, warning of “rapid deterioration” in their physical and mental health.
Barbara said they hope to return to Afghanistan if possible. Lindsay said the couple were very relieved to be heading home.
Their case highlights the role of quiet diplomacy and third-party mediation in resolving sensitive detentions.
Read more: SPSC hires 6,000+ in 2024 as transparent recruitment accelerates
