(19 Sep 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Doha, Qatar – 19 September 2025
++STARTS ON SOUNDBITE++
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sarah Entwistle, daughter of the British couple:
"Overwhelmed with gratitude and relief that we have our parents back after their incomprehensible detention by the Taliban. This is a moment of immense joy for our family and we are deeply thankful to everyone who played a role in securing their release. I especially want to express my heartfelt appreciation to His Highness the Emir of Qatar for his leadership and compassion. Special thanks go to ( Qatar’s minister of state at the Foreign Ministry) Dr. Mohammed al-Khulaifi and Dr. Mirdef Alqashouti for their tireless diplomatic efforts and unwavering support throughout this ordeal. I also want to thank the British government for its commitment in this complex and sensitive process. The coordination between all parties involved was instrumental in bringing our parents home safely. This experience has reminded us of the power of diplomacy, empathy and international cooperation. We are forever grateful to the Qatari and British governments for standing with us during this difficult time. Thank you for giving us our family back.
Reporter off-camera: "Sarah have you had a chance to speak to them yet?
Sarah: Not yet. We’re very, very excited as they’re just about to land.
Reporter asking off-camera: You’re live on Sky News. How are they doing? When was the last time you spoke to them?
Sarah: I spoke to them last Saturday. They are ready to come home.
Reporter: And how would you feel if they choose to go back to Afghanistan? Do you know if that’s an option?
Sarah: Thank you."
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Neerav Patel, British Ambassador:
"We welcome the release of Peter and Barbara Reynolds from detention in Afghanistan. We pay tribute to the government of Qatar under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Minister of State Dr. Mohammed al-Khulaifi. Qatar’s consistent determination to pursue mediation and diplomacy is one of its greatest assets and we are grateful for their role on this file and so many others. Thank you."
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
The daughter of British couple released form Afghanistan spoke to press from Doha where they are expected to land on Friday.
The Taliban released the British couple held in Afghanistan for more than seven months on undisclosed charges, likely part of a wider effort to get their government recognised internationally years after taking power.
"This experience has reminded us of the power of diplomacy, empathy and international cooperation. We are forever grateful to the Qatari and British governments for standing with us during this difficult time," their daughter Sarah Entwistle said, speaking from Doha.
The case of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, aged 80 and 76, underlined the concerns of the West over the actions of the Taliban since they overthrew the country’s U.S.-backed government in a 2021 lightning offensive.
The Reynolds lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and ran an education and training organization in the country’s central province of Bamiyan, choosing to remain in the country after the Taliban seized power.
Qatar, an energy-rich nation on the Arabian Peninsula that mediated talks between the U.S. and the Taliban before the American withdrawal, helped in releasing the Reynolds. The couple left Afghanistan on Friday.
While the Taliban rejected the abuse allegations, they have never explained what prompted their detention.
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