Elderly couple held by Taliban returns to Britain with Qatar's help

By&nbspEuronews&nbspwith&nbspAP

Published connected 20/09/2025 - 13:40 GMT+2 •Updated 14:37

The aged British-Afghan mates returns to Britain connected Saturday aft their merchandise from a 7-month detention nether nan Taliban regime.

High-level negotiations betwixt nan UK and nan Taliban, mediated by Qatar, person been praised by nan family and seen arsenic a reminder of nan worth of diplomacy successful reducing tensions during conflicts.

"This acquisition has reminded america of nan powerfulness of diplomacy, empathy and world cooperation. We are everlastingly grateful to nan Qatari and British governments for opinionated pinch america during this difficult time. Thank you for giving america our family back," said Sarah Entwistle, girl of nan British couple.

Having Afghan citizenship, Peter Reynolds, 80, and his woman Barbie, 76, lived location for astir 2 decades and are owed to alert to nan UK connected Saturday aft being reunited pinch their girl successful Qatar.

There were affectional scenes erstwhile Entwistle met her parents aft a agelong time, arsenic they stepped disconnected nan level successful Doha, according to nan BBC.

'We will proceed to push for mediation and diplomacy,' Qatar says

"Actually, it's continuous efforts by my authorities to support our argumentation successful helping to merchandise hostages, and our mediation and diplomacy," Mirdef Ali Al-Qashouti, Acting Charge d'Affaires of nan Qatar Embassy successful Kabul, said. He added that Qatar was very grateful to Afghanistan and nan UK for their practice to reason this lawsuit successful this way.

According to Qatari officials, their state will proceed to beforehand bid and stableness worldwide, arsenic it remains committed to this path, wherever they reason it is clear that mediation useful erstwhile some parties are consenting to scope a deal.

"It's a very bully infinitesimal for america to show our appreciation and to make judge that this is nan measurement that we should woody pinch problems and conflicts, and really to resoluteness it pinch dialogue, pinch bully manners and besides pinch serene solutions," Al-Qashouti said.

They want to return to Afghanistan erstwhile possible

"We are looking guardant to returning to Afghanistan if we can," Barbie told AFP astatine Kabul airport.

Also, "overwhelmed" by their release, their boy Jonathan Reynolds told nan British media that he was "ecstatic and massively grateful" to those who were progressive successful securing their release.

The Taliban, who detained nan mates connected their measurement location connected 1 February, said nan brace had surgery Afghan laws and were released aft judicial proceedings. Still, nan Islamist group has ne'er disclosed a logic for their detention.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised nan "vital role" played by Qatar successful securing their release.