‘Small matter’: Taliban arrest septuagenarian British couple running educational organisation

A US national who was detained alongside the couple, Faye Hall, was released on March 30 as part of a deal that Qatari negotiators helped to broker.

By: Express Web Desk

Updated: April 8, 2025 10:26 PM IST

Peter Reynolds, 79, and wife Barbie, 75. (Photo/X/@AfghanistanTime)

The Taliban have said that the arrest of a British couple in Afghanistan is a ‘small matter’ and will be resolved soon under Islamic law, according to reports from Associated Press (AP).

Peter and Barbie Reynolds, a couple in their 70s, were arrested in early February from their home in Bamiyan province and taken to Kabul. They run an organisation focused on education and training. Their family in the UK has raised concerns, saying the couple are being mistreated in Pul-e-Charkhi prison, where they are being held on unknown charges.

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Speaking to AP, Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani said: “The only thing I can say is that the matter was previously with the Interior Ministry and it has now been handed over to the courts. Their problem (crime) is not that big. God willing, their problem will soon be resolved and a shariah (Islamic law) decision will be made.”

He added, “It is a small matter and should not be a cause for concern.”

This is the first public comment by the Taliban on the couple’s situation in over a month. According to the BBC, the couple’s arrest remains surrounded by uncertainty, as authorities have not disclosed the specific reason behind their detention.

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A US citizen, Faye Hall, who was detained at the same time, was released on 30 March with help from Qatari negotiators. Hall had reportedly been held for flying a drone without permission and is believed to be the fourth American released from Afghanistan this year, the BBC noted.

The British Foreign Office continues to work on the case but has not made a detailed public statement.

(with inputs from agencies)

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