British couple freed by Taliban in Afghanistan reunite with daughter in Doha ahead of UK return

Barbie Reynolds, 76, and Peter Reynolds, 80, were released on Friday after more than seven months in Taliban detention in Afghanistan, with mediation led by Qatar. They landed in Doha for medical checks before traveling on to the United Kingdom, their daughter said in a statement. The reunion with Sarah Entwistle was captured on video, showing an emotional embrace as the family welcomed the couple back from captivity. In a statement from the family, they described the release as a moment of intense joy and expressed gratitude to those who helped secure their freedom.

The couple had been detained since Feb. 1 by the Taliban’s interior ministry and held for more than seven months in a sequence of facilities, facing undisclosed charges and undergoing repeated interrogations, according to the family. Health concerns weighed on the case; United Nations experts had warned that Barbie Reynolds’ anemia and Peter Reynolds’ heart conditions left them at risk of further deterioration or irreparable harm if detention continued. The family said the couple had endured limited meals and difficult conditions during their confinement, and they thanked the U.K. government for ensuring access to necessary medications.

The Reynoldses, long-time residents of Bamyan province and educators who wed in Kabul in 1970, had lived in Afghanistan for about 18 years and ran an organization called Rebuild, which provides education and training programs for civilians, including mothers and children. They had been urged to flee Afghanistan when the Taliban took power in 2021 but chose to stay to help Afghans in need. They were arrested earlier this year while traveling back to Bamyan, and were detained along with a Chinese-American friend, Faye Hall, and a local Afghan translator connected to their Rebuild project. Hall was released in March after diplomatic efforts and other negotiations surrounding broader regional issues.

The case underscored Western concerns about Taliban governance and treatment of detainees, particularly older people with health problems, as international efforts to normalize relations with the regime continue. UN experts had previously urged the Taliban to release the couple, warning that detaining an elderly pair with serious health issues was inhumane. The Reynolds family had publicly pressed for their release, appealing to Taliban leadership and sharing details of the couple’s fragile health and the conditions of their confinement.

Qatar, which has positioned itself as a mediator between the West and the Taliban in multiple negotiations, helped facilitate the release. UK officials noted that Doha assisted in coordinating medical checks before the couple could travel to the United Kingdom. The Department for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs said the government has supported the family throughout and acknowledged Qatar’s essential role in resolving the case.

Barbie Reynolds, speaking to Sky News just before boarding the flight out of Afghanistan, said, "My message is God is good, as they say in Afghanistan. We are Afghan citizens, and we are grateful to return home." Her husband added, "We are just very thankful."

In London, Hamish Falconer, the minister for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, said he was relieved by the news and looked forward to the couple’s reunion with their family in the United Kingdom. He praised Qatar for its mediation and noted that the British government has long advised against travel to Afghanistan amid security concerns. The Reynoldses’ release comes as Western governments continue to navigate diplomacy with the Taliban while seeking to protect humanitarian interests and the safety of their citizens and residents in the region. The family said they would proceed to the United Kingdom for medical care and ongoing rehabilitation, with further updates expected as the couple begins the next phase of their recovery.