UK elderly couple set free by Taliban after months of detention

An elderly British couple who operated humanitarian programs in Afghanistan for nearly two decades have been freed after a seven-month detention by Taliban authorities, following sensitive negotiations mediated by Qatari officials.

Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie Reynolds, 76, were released on Friday, September 19, 2025 after being held since February 1, 2025 without formal charges.

The old duo, who had lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and ran an education organization called Rebuild, were transferred to a maximum-security prison in Kabul in March amid concerns about their deteriorating health.

"Their safe release was secured following mediation led by Qatar," a diplomat confirmed while speaking to the Daily Mail on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

The Raymonds have opted to stay in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of government in 2021 and believed to serve the Afghan nation in need of hour.

The couple's imprisonment occurred while they were leaving for their hometown from Bamyan province.

Detention occurred while traveling to their home in Bamyan province, with Taliban officials never clarifying the reasons for their arrest.

In addition to that, a United Nations human rights panel had warned in July, 2025 that the couple's physical and mental health was deteriorating rapidly, placing them at risk of irreparable harm.