British Couple Released from Taliban Detention Returns to the UK

Sat Oct 18 2025 18:44:21 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Peter and Barbie Reynolds, a British couple held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly eight months, have returned home to the UK after being released. Their reunion with family marks a hopeful moment following a harrowing ordeal.

Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who spent almost eight months in Taliban detention, have arrived back in the UK after being released. The couple, who dedicated their lives to charitable work in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, were reunited with their daughter in Qatar before flying home. Despite their release, details surrounding their detention remain unclear, and the Reynolds express a desire to continue their work in Afghanistan.

A British couple detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly eight months have arrived back in the UK after being released.

Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, who lived in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, landed at Heathrow Airport on a flight from Doha.

They were reunited with their daughter in Qatar on Friday. Their son Jonathan Reynolds told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was ecstatic and massively grateful to all those involved in securing their release.

The Taliban, who detained the couple on February 1, stated they broke Afghan laws and were released after judicial proceedings, but provided no specific reason for their detainment.

The pair married in Kabul in 1970 and spent the last 18 years running a charitable training programme that had been approved by local Taliban officials when the armed group regained control in 2021.

There were emotional scenes on Friday as the couple’s daughter, Sarah Entwistle, met her parents as they stepped off the plane in Doha.

Barbie expressed a desire to return to Afghanistan, saying, We are Afghan citizens, following negotiations that secured their release.

Their son echoed this sentiment, stating their intention to continue living and working in Afghanistan.

Since 2009, the couple has run training projects in Kabul and Bamiyan, including programs aimed at educating women and children, which seemingly had received local approval despite Taliban restrictions on female education and employment.

Jonathan shared that their work has been fruitful and positively impactful, highlighting reports of encouraging progress from their projects.

The couple’s release came after significant public pressure from their family, who disclosed the severe conditions of their detention, with Jonathan previously indicating declining health for both parents.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged the vital role played by Qatar in facilitating their release.

The couple underwent medical checks in Doha before departing for London, while Taliban officials claimed they received adequate medical care during detention. The UK does not recognize the Taliban government and has significantly limited support for British nationals in Afghanistan.