British couple freed by Afghanistan's Taliban arrive in Qatar

By Andrew Mills

DOHA (Reuters) -Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband Peter, 80, arrived in Qatar from Afghanistan into the arms of their daughter on Friday, after the British couple were freed from eight months in Taliban captivity.

Family members said they had been concerned for the health of the couple, who ran a charity in Afghanistan where they had lived for 18 years, staying on after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

They were detained in February and freed after what an official with knowledge of the matter described as months of negotiations with the Taliban by Qatar in coordination with Britain.

As they stepped off the plane in Doha, the couple waved to waiting relatives. Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, ran toward her mother in tears, embracing her tightly.

COUPLE WOULD RETURN TO AFGHANISTAN 'IF WE CAN'

Before boarding the plane at Kabul airport, Barbie Reynolds said she and her husband would return "if we can", adding that they were Afghan citizens.

Speaking to reporters before being reunited with her parents, Entwistle said the family was "forever grateful to the Qatari and British governments for standing with us during this difficult time".

"Thank you for giving us our family back."

Their son, Jonathan Reynolds, who is in the United States, told Sky News the urgency of their release was critical: "Any longer would have been very detrimental to their health."

The official with knowledge of the matter said the two were held separately throughout their detention. The Qatari embassy provided them with "critical support including access to their doctor, delivery of medication and regular communication with their family", the official said.

Qatar has worked for the release of foreigners detained in Afghanistan, including helping to free at least three Americans this year.

TALIBAN SAYS COUPLE VIOLATED AFGHAN LAWS

Afghanistan's foreign ministry posted on X that the couple had violated Afghan laws, without giving details. It said Afghanistan "does not view issues related to citizens from a political or transactional perspective".

Richard Lindsay, Britain's special envoy to Afghanistan, said it was "obviously up to the authorities here to determine why they were detained, but we are very grateful that at least, today is a very great humanitarian day, that they will be reunited with their family".

British media have reported that the couple ran projects in schools, staying on with the permission of Afghanistan's Taliban rulers after the militant group returned to power in 2021 following 20 years of U.S.-led Western military intervention.

An American, Faye Hall, who was arrested with them, was released in March.

Western countries including Britain and the United States shut their embassies and withdrew their diplomats as the Taliban took over. Britain now advises its nationals against travelling to Afghanistan because of the risk of detention.

(Reporting by Andrew Mills; Additional reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Sam Tabahriti in London; Writing by Yousef Saba and Jana Choukeir; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Kevin Liffey, Peter Graff)