Son of UK Couple Held by Militant Group ‘Ecstatic’ as They Come Back to Britain
The son of a UK pair detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly eight months has shared that he is “deeply moved” by their freedom.
The elderly man, 80, and his spouse his partner, 76, who lived in Afghanistan for close to twenty years, are scheduled to travel to the UK on Saturday after meeting up with their daughter in Qatar.
Their son stated that he was “thrilled and profoundly thankful” to everyone who helped in achieving their freedom.
The Taliban, who apprehended the couple on February 1, stated the two had violated local laws and were freed after judicial proceedings—though the authorities never disclosed a clear reason for their arrest.
Emotional moments took place as the pair’s daughter, their child, met her parents after they stepped off the plane in Doha.
The wife stated, “We are looking forward to returning to the country if we can. We are residents of Afghanistan.”
Their son shared these hopes, saying that “their desire would be to continue living there and to do the work they were doing.”
UK Prime Minister the premier commended the “critical part” played by Qatar in achieving their freedom.
The couple married in Kabul in 1970 and spent the past 18 years running a charitable training programme that had been approved by local Taliban officials.
Jonathan mentioned, “They have not just a heart for the people of the nation, but they have strategy as well, and the work they've been doing has been very fruitful and has a huge beneficial effect.”
He shared that a few weeks ago, he managed to discuss “really encouraging” updates about their programmes with his mother and father over the telephone.
His mother’s first reaction was that they had “additional tasks ahead.”
But Jonathan questioned, “How is that possible in a country where you're unwanted?”
Their deep connection for the country was demonstrated by their decision to remain in the region after the new government seized control in 2021, while many other Westerners left.
The couple’s release comes after months of advocacy efforts by their family, who had described the harrowing circumstances of their imprisonment.
Jonathan said in July that his father had been experiencing severe spasms and his mom was “numb” from anaemia and malnutrition.
A Qatari official noted that the pair were transferred from a detention facility to a larger facility with better amenities during the last phase of negotiations over their freedom.
The authorities insisted that the detainees were provided adequate health treatment during their confinement and that their human rights were upheld.
The couple were undergoing medical checks in the Qatari capital before leaving for London.
Britain does not recognise the Taliban government and shut down its diplomatic mission in Kabul when the group returned to power.
UK officials state that support for British nationals in the country is “severely limited” and recommend against any visits to the region.
