Family tell of 'immense joy' as British couple detained by Taliban are freed

A British couple have been freed after months of detention in Afghanistan to the "immense joy" of their family.

- Jamie Grierson Matthew Weaver

Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband, Peter, 80, were released by the Taliban after being detained for eight months.

The couple were hugged by their daughter Sarah Entwistle as they stepped off a plane in Doha yesterday.

They were arrested in February as they travelled to their home in Bamyan province, central Afghanistan. They had been detained since then without charge, and for a long period were separated and held in a maximum-security prison.

Barbie and Peter Reynolds had lived in Afghanistan for nearly two decades and ran a training and education organisation.

Speaking to Sky News at Kabul international airport before boarding a flight to Doha, Barbie Reynolds said she was looking forward to “seeing our children and our families”. Asked if she would return to Afghanistan, she replied: “if we can”.

In a statement, their children and grandchildren said: “This is a moment of immense joy for our family.”

They also thanked Qatar for its role in negotiating with the Taliban to secure their release, saying they would be “forever grateful to the Qataris for standing with us during this difficult time”.

“While the road to recovery will be long as our parents regain their health and spend time with their family, today is a day of tremendous joy and relief,” the statement said.