British elderly couple freed after 8 months in Taliban custody

A British couple who spent nearly eight months detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan have finally been released, officials familiar with the case confirmed.

Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, longtime residents of Afghanistan, were taken into custody on February 1 while travelling home. The couple, who have lived in the country for almost 20 years, endured deteriorating health conditions during their imprisonment, raising urgent concerns among family and human rights observers.

The release was facilitated through Qatari mediation, according to officials. During the final stages of negotiations, the couple was moved from Kabul’s central prison to a larger facility before being freed.

A Qatari official said the couple will first travel to Qatar for medical evaluations before returning to the UK, despite maintaining a long-term residence in Bamiyan province, Afghanistan.

Their release comes after months of public advocacy by family members, who had repeatedly called for urgent intervention. Faye Hall, an American woman who was held with the couple and released two months into her detention, told the BBC just days ago that the Reynolds were “literally dying” in prison and that “time is running out.”