A British national and his wife, both over 70 years of age, have fallen into the trap of the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan as prisoners or simply vanished in the lawless country.
Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife, Barbie, 75, were detained on February 1 while returning to their residence in Bamyan province, Afghanistan. The couple has been engaged in various educational projects inside Afghanistan for 18 years and chose to stay in the country after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Although the Taliban have banned women’s employment and restricted women’s education beyond the primary level, this particular plan was reportedly backed by local authorities in Bamiyan.
For the first three days after their arrest, the couple kept in touch with their children via text messages, indicating that they were being held by the interior ministry and being assured of their well-being. However, the talks later broke down and his children have not heard from them since.
Reynolds’ residence has been searched and his staff have been questioned about the couple’s activities, particularly regarding any allegations of proselytism, which all employees have denied.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, his daughter, Sarah Entwistle, from Daventry, Northamptonshire, said the situation was extremely worrying. Het mother is 75 years old and father, who is around 80, needs heart medication after suffering a mini-stroke. They were simply trying to provide help to a country they care so much about.
Together with his three siblings, he has written an open letter to the Taliban leadership requesting the release of his parents.
According to The Guardian, Peter and Barbie Reynolds met at the University of Bath and married in Kabul in 1970 after developing a deep love of Afghanistan.
Notably, Barbie was also given the first appreciation certificate given to a woman by the Taliban. In their letter, Entwistle and his brothers appealed to the Taliban to free their parents, and allow them to continue their valuable contribution to education.
He highlighted the dual citizenship status of his parents and wrote that our parents have consistently demonstrated a commitment to Afghanistan. It is also clarified that in addition to their project in Bamiyan, the couple is implementing programs in five schools in Kabul. The Taliban leadership had praised the measures that their parents were providing.
Entwistle stressed that his parents had always acted with the required permission. He added that they have been adhering to the rules and regulations despite the frequent changes.
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