Son of British couple held by Taliban 'ecstatic' as they return to UK

[ad_1] Watch: Their daughter Sarah was visibly emotional as she spoke to reporters in Doha forward of the reunion

The son of an British couple detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for almost eight months has stated he's "overwhelmed" by their launch.

Peter Reynolds, 80, and his spouse Barbie, 76, who lived in Afghanistan for almost twenty years, are because of fly to the UK on Saturday after being reunited with their daughter in Qatar.

Jonathan Reynolds advised BBC Radio 4's At present programme that he was "ecstatic and massively grateful" to those that had been concerned in securing their launch.

The Taliban, who detained the couple on their method residence on 1 February, stated the pair had damaged Afghan legal guidelines and had been launched after judicial proceedings - however the Islamist group has by no means disclosed a cause for his or her detention.

There have been emotional scenes on Friday because the couple's daughter, Sarah Entwistle, met her dad and mom as they stepped off the aircraft in Doha.

"We're trying ahead to returning to Afghanistan if we are able to. We're Afghan residents," Barbie advised Agence France-Presse at Kabul airport after Qatar-brokered negotiations for his or her launch.

Their son Jonathan echoed these hopes, saying "their need can be to hold on dwelling there and to do the work they had been doing".

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/1b86/live/87974e00-95d8-11f0-90f2-5f87cb020b24.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/1b86/live/87974e00-95d8-11f0-90f2-5f87cb020b24.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1b86/live/87974e00-95d8-11f0-90f2-5f87cb020b24.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/1b86/live/87974e00-95d8-11f0-90f2-5f87cb020b24.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/1b86/live/87974e00-95d8-11f0-90f2-5f87cb020b24.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/1b86/live/87974e00-95d8-11f0-90f2-5f87cb020b24.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/1b86/live/87974e00-95d8-11f0-90f2-5f87cb020b24.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1b86/live/87974e00-95d8-11f0-90f2-5f87cb020b24.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Reuters Barbie Reynolds, who was released from Taliban detention in Afghanistan, is greeted by her daughter Sarah Entwistle " class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> Reuters UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised the "very important position" performed by Qatar in securing their launch.

Peter and Barbie Reynolds married in Kabul in 1970 and spent the previous 18 years operating a charitable coaching programme that had been accepted by native Taliban officers when the armed group reclaimed energy in 2021.

"They haven't only a coronary heart for the individuals of Afghanistan, however they've technique as effectively, and the work they have been doing has been very fruitful and has a massively constructive affect," Jonathan advised the BBC.

He stated just a few weeks in the past he had managed to share the outcomes of "actually encouraging" experiences about their programmes along with his dad and mom over the cellphone.

He stated Barbie's preliminary response had been that that they had "extra work to do".

"However how do you try this in a rustic the place you are not welcome," Jonathan added.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/c222/live/f13ff320-95d8-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/c222/live/f13ff320-95d8-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c222/live/f13ff320-95d8-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/c222/live/f13ff320-95d8-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/c222/live/f13ff320-95d8-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/c222/live/f13ff320-95d8-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/c222/live/f13ff320-95d8-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c222/live/f13ff320-95d8-11f0-9cf6-cbf3e73ce2b9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Peter Reynolds, who was released from Taliban detention in Afghanistan, walks with his daughter Sarah Entwistle " class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> Reuters Their affection for Afghanistan was demonstrated by their resolution to stay in Bamiyan province after the authoritarian regime seized management in August 2021, whereas many different Westerners left.

The couple's launch follows months of public lobbying by their household, who've described the harrowing circumstances of their detention.

Jonathan stated in July that his father had been struggling severe convulsions and his mom was "numb" from anaemia and malnutrition.

A Qatari official advised the BBC the couple had been moved from Kabul's central jail to a bigger facility with higher circumstances throughout the last stage of negotiations over their launch.

Taliban officers maintained they acquired enough medical care throughout their detention and that their human rights had been revered.

The couple had been receiving medical checks within the Qatari capital, Doha, earlier than leaving for London. They may arrive on a industrial flight on Saturday morning, AFP experiences.

The UK doesn't recognise the Taliban authorities and closed its embassy in Kabul when the group returned to energy.

The International Workplace says help for British nationals in Afghanistan is due to this fact "severely restricted" and advises in opposition to all journey to the nation.