The son of a British couple detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly eight months has said he is overwhelmed by their release.
Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, who lived in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, are due to fly to the UK on Saturday after being reunited with their daughter in Qatar.
Jonathan Reynolds told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was ecstatic and massively grateful to those who were involved in securing their release.
The Taliban, who detained the couple on their way home on 1 February, stated that they had broken Afghan laws and were released after judicial proceedings; however, they have not disclosed a reason for their detention.
There were emotional scenes on Friday as the couple's daughter, Sarah Entwistle, met her parents as they stepped off the plane in Doha.
We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens, Barbie told Agence France-Presse at Kabul airport after Qatar-brokered negotiations for their release.
Their son Jonathan echoed those hopes, expressing that their desire would be to carry on living there and to do the work they were doing.
The couple's release follows months of public lobbying by their family, who had described the harrowing conditions of their detention. A Qatari official confirmed that the couple were moved to a better facility during the final stages of negotiations over their release.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised the vital role played by Qatar in securing their release. Peter and Barbie Reynolds married in Kabul in 1970 and spent the past 18 years running a charitable training programme that was approved by local Taliban officials when they reclaimed power in 2021.
Jonathan mentioned that they are dedicated to the Afghan people, stating that the work they've been doing has been very fruitful and impactful.
As they head back to the UK, the couple received medical checks in Doha before their departure. Despite the UK government not recognizing the Taliban regime and advising against travel to Afghanistan, the Reynolds' commitment to the country remains strong.
