British couple in their 70s arrested by the Taliban

A British couple in their seventies have been arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, were returning to their home on Feb 1 when they were detained.

The couple, who met at Bath University, have been running training projects in schools in the country for the past 18 years.

They remained in the country after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, despite most of their staff, and most other westerners, leaving.

Sarah Entwistle, their daughter, who lives in Daventry, Northamptonshire, told The Sunday Times: “They said they could not leave when Afghans were in their hour of need.

“They were meticulous about keeping by the rules even as they kept changing.”

Training mothers and children

Since 2009 they have been running training projects in five schools in Kabul and one project in Bamiyan training mothers and children.

It is not known exactly what the couple were arrested for but projects run by them include ones training mothers and children.

The scheme had apparently been approved by the local authorities despite the Taliban’s ban on women working and education for girls older than the age of 12.

When the couple were first arrested at the beginning of the month they were able to keep in contact with their four children by text message.

They told their family they were being “held by the interior ministry” and assured them they were fine.

Just three days later however the text messages stopped and their children have heard nothing from them since.

Ms Entwistle said: “My mother is 75 and my father almost 80 and [he] needs his heart medication after a mini-stroke. They were just trying to help the country they loved. The idea they are being held because they were teaching mothers with children is outrageous.”

‘Would rather sacrifice their lives’

Ms Entwistle and her three brothers have written an open letter to the Taliban leadership, pleading with them to release their parents so they can continue their work and pointing out that they had been given dual citizenship.

“We do not understand the reasons behind their arrest,” they wrote. “They have communicated their trust in you, and that as Afghan citizens they will be treated well.”

Ms Entwistle insisted that her parents had done nothing without the Taliban’s permission, adding that they were “meticulous about keeping by the rules”.

The Reynolds previously told their family they never wanted to be “part of ransom negotiations or be traded” and “would rather sacrifice their lives”.

The family is in touch with the Foreign Office but assistance is limited by the fact that the UK does not recognise the Taliban and has no embassy in Kabul.

Speaking to the BBC, Taliban official sources said they arrested British nationals, who they believe were working for a non-governmental organisation in the province of Bamiyan.

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