Kabul: The Taliban government’s Ministry of Interior has confirmed the arrest of two British nationals and one American citizen in Afghanistan.
Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, told the media that four individuals had been detained “due to specific considerations.” The detained individuals reportedly include two British citizens, one American national, and their translator.
The British Foreign Office had earlier confirmed the detention of two of its nationals in Afghanistan.
In a statement released on Monday, February 24, a spokesperson for the British Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the families of the two British nationals who have been detained in Afghanistan.”
According to British media reports, the detained British citizens have been identified as Peter Reynolds and Barbie Reynolds, a married couple. Their relatives reported that they were arrested by the Taliban on February 1, 2025, in the Bamyan province of Afghanistan.
According to The Sunday Times, the couple’s children told that Peter and Barbie Reynolds, both over 70 years old, had been running educational programs in Afghanistan for the past 18 years and had been residing in Bamyan for an extended period.
The couple had reportedly established five educational projects for children and mothers in Kabul and another project in Bamyan province.
Spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qane did not disclose the full identities of the detainees or the reasons for their arrests but stated that further information would be provided at a later date.
According to The Sunday Times, the educational projects run by Peter and Barbie Reynolds were apparently carried out in coordination with the Taliban authorities. The couple’s children also stated that Taliban officials had expressed satisfaction with these projects over the past three years.
Since reclaiming power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on women’s education and employment, barring girls from secondary and higher education and preventing women from working with non-governmental organizations and participating in public life.
In a joint open letter addressed to the Taliban, the couple’s children have urged their immediate release. They noted that the last time they spoke with their parents was three days before their arrest, after which all communication was cut off.
In their letter, the children wrote: “They [Peter and Barbie Reynolds] have placed their trust in you and, as residents of Afghanistan, hope they will be treated with kindness and respect.”
The Taliban have not yet responded to the open letter. However, since regaining power, the group has detained dozens of foreign nationals, including British and American citizens. Some remain in Taliban custody.
In recent weeks, the Taliban released two American and one Canadian national from prison. In exchange for the release of the two American citizens, the U.S. government freed a Taliban detainee held in an American prison.
According to U.S. officials, at least two American citizens, Mahmood Habibi and George Glizman, remain in Taliban custody.
