Taliban releases British couple held for months in Afghanistan on undisclosed charges

The Taliban released a British mates connected Friday who had been held in Afghanistan for much than 7 months connected undisclosed charges, an charismatic said.

The lawsuit of Peter and Barbie Reynolds underlined nan concerns of nan West complete nan actions of nan Taliban since they overthrew nan country's US-backed authorities successful a 2021 lightning offensive.

The Reynolds had lived successful Afghanistan for 18 years and tally an acquisition and training organisation successful nan country’s cardinal state of Bamiyan, choosing to stay successful nan country after nan Taliban seized power.

Qatar, an energy-rich federation connected nan Arabian Peninsula that mediated talks betwixt nan US and nan Taliban earlier nan American withdrawal, helped successful releasing nan Reynolds.

The mates near Afghanistan connected Friday, a diplomat said. The diplomat said connected information of anonymity to talk nan delicate negotiations successful nan case.

"God is good, arsenic they opportunity successful Afghanistan," Barbie Reynolds said aft she arrived astatine Kabul International Airport to alert retired of nan country.

The Reynolds' family members successful nan United Kingdom many times called for nan couple’s release, saying they were being mistreated and held connected undisclosed charges.

While nan Taliban rejected nan maltreatment allegations, they person ne'er explained what prompted their detention.

A spokesperson astatine nan Taliban government's Foreign Ministry, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said nan mates "violated Afghan law" and were released from situation connected Friday aft a tribunal hearing, according to a connection he posted connected X.

His connection did not opportunity what rule nan mates were alleged to person broken.

Balkhi thanked Qatar for its "sincere efforts and mediation" regarding nan mates who, he said, were handed complete to Richard Lindsay, nan UK’s typical envoy for Afghanistan.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed nan couple’s release, saying he knew "this long-awaited news will travel arsenic a immense alleviation to them and their family."

"I want to salary tribute to nan captious domiciled played by Qatar, including nan emir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, successful securing their freedom," he said successful a statement.

In July, United Nations quality authorities experts warned nan couple's beingness and intelligence wellness was deteriorating quickly and that they were astatine consequence of irreparable harm aliases moreover death.

Earlier this month, nan Taliban said they had reached an statement pinch US envoys connected a captive speech arsenic portion of an effort to normalise relations.

The gathering came aft nan Taliban released US national George Glezmann successful March, who was abducted while walking done Afghanistan arsenic a tourist.

It remains unclear what, if anything, nan Taliban had been promised to spot nan Reynolds released. However, Afghanistan's database of needs is long.

The Western assistance money that flowed into it aft nan 2001 US-led penetration has been severely trim arsenic needs proceed to mount, peculiarly aft a devastating earthquake connected 31 August.

The country's system besides remains shaky astatine best.

But Western nations stay hesitant to supply money to nan Taliban government, citing their restrictions connected women and clamping down connected look and individual freedoms.

Afghanistan besides remains a attraction of US President Donald Trump for different reason. During his authorities sojourn to nan UK connected Thursday, Trump suggested that he is moving to re-establish a US beingness astatine Bagram Air Base successful Afghanistan.

However Zakir Jalaly, an charismatic astatine nan Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, dismissed nan idea.