A British couple in their 70s, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, have been arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan for “teaching mothers parenting with children.” The couple, aged 79 and 75, were detained in Bamiyan province on February 1 as they returned to their home.
Peter and Barbie Reynolds have been running educational projects in Afghanistan for the past 18 years and chose to remain in the country after the Taliban took power in 2021. One of their projects involved training mothers and children in Bamiyan, one of Afghanistan’s largest cities. Despite the Taliban’s ban on women working and restrictions on female education beyond primary school, the project had been approved by the local Bamiyan authorities.
The couple’s arrest also involved an American-Chinese friend, Faye Hall, who had rented a plane to travel with them, and a translator from their Rebuild training business. According to an anonymous employee from Rebuild, the group was informed that their flight “did not coordinate with the local government,” which may have contributed to the arrest.
For the first three days after their detainment, the Reynolds kept in touch with their children through text messages, informing them that they were being held by the Taliban’s interior ministry and assuring them they were fine. However, after those initial messages, all communication ceased, and the couple’s children have not heard from them since.
The couple’s home in Nayak was raided, and their employees were questioned about whether the couple had been engaging in religious proselytising. All employees denied these allegations.
“This is really bad,” said their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, from Daventry, Northamptonshire. “My mother is 75, and my father is almost 80 and needs his heart medication after a mini-stroke. They were just trying to help the country they loved. The idea that they are being held because they were teaching mothers with children is outrageous.”
Sarah and her three brothers have written an open letter to the Taliban leadership, urgently requesting the release of their parents. In the letter, the siblings highlighted their parents’ long-standing commitment to Afghanistan and their desire to continue their work in schools, pointing out that they have dual citizenship.
“We do not understand the reasons behind their arrest,” they wrote. “Our parents have consistently expressed their commitment to Afghanistan, stating that they would rather sacrifice their lives than become part of ransom negotiations or be traded.”
An anonymous Rebuild employee, who described the couple as “the most honourable people I have ever met,” expressed concern for Peter’s health. “It seems that if Peter and Barbie are not released soon, Peter may lose his life because he needs medication, and the Taliban are not allowing him it,” they said. The employee also revealed that other Rebuild workers are currently in hiding due to fears for their safety.
In addition to their project in Bamiyan, the couple had been running educational initiatives in five schools in Kabul. “The Taliban leaders were so impressed and inspired by the programmes Mum and Dad were offering, they said they would like them set up in every province of Afghanistan,” Sarah Entwistle explained. “My parents did nothing without permission and were meticulous about following the rules, even when those rules kept changing.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been contacted for a statement on the situation, but no comment has been provided yet.
Stay tuned to London Pulse News for further updates on the couple’s arrest and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure their release.
