At Kabul International Airport, we watched as a string of Afghan, Qatari and British officials walked into a building by the runway, alongside doctors.

On the runway a plane waited, the steps ready for what appeared to be an imminent departure. We had heard from our sources about the possible release of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, the elderly British couple detained in February, but we had no official confirmation yet.

Then, from behind a double door, I caught the eye of Barbie. The 76-year old smiled at me – her face seemingly bright with relief. Her husband, Peter, 80, then stepped into frame. A tall gentle looking man, his eyes looked filled with emotion.

Their relief and gratitude was immediately apparent. It was of course impossible to know what state their health was in, but they appeared alert and composed, despite nearly eight months in detention.

The couple’s son, Jonathan, had previously said his father had been suffering serious convulsions and his mother was “numb” from anaemia and malnutrition. The UN had also described their conditions as “degrading”. But today, as he prepared to leave the country, Peter wouldn’t be drawn on the conditions he faced. “We’re just very thankful, very thankful,” he told me.

Barbie, who spent part of her detention in a separate facility, looked strikingly calm – a graceful and understated demeanour. “We’ve been treated very well,” she said as she made her way to the plane. Taliban officials maintained they received adequate medical care in prison and their human rights were respected.

The couple’s four children campaigned carefully but consistently for their release. “We’re looking forward to seeing our children,” Barbie told me with a wide beam. I asked if she had a message for family and friends. “God is good as they say here in Afghanistan,” she declared.

And despite their surprise detention, she hoped they would be back. “Will you return to Afghanistan?” I asked. “Oh yes, if we can,” she said. “We are Afghan citizens.”

What happened

The couple have been together since the 1960s and married in the Afghan capital, Kabul, in 1970. They have lived in the country for 18 years and ran an organisation called Rebuild, which provides educational and leadership programmes, including training for mothers and children.

They have been described by family as having a lifelong love of Afghanistan. After the Taliban seized control in August 2021 and many other Westerners left, they decided to stay. They were arrested on their way home to Bamiyan. The Taliban has said the couple broke Afghanistan law. But after the couple faced four court proceedings, no charges were ever brought.

In a statement today, Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said: “Two British nationals named Peter and Barbara Reynolds, who had violated the laws of Afghanistan, were released from custody today following the judicial process. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not view the issues of its nationals from a political or bargaining perspective.”

Both the UK and Qatari officials were keen to express their deep gratitude to Afghanistan’s leadership for releasing the Reynolds. Richard Lindsay, Special Envoy to Afghanistan said it was a “very great humanitarian day”. But he acknowledged he did not know on what grounds the couple were held.

The Qataris appeared to play a critical role in negotiating with the Afghan authorities. They said they were able to ensure medical assistance was provided and enable the couple to communicate with their families. “The release of Barbie and Peter Reynolds shows that when two parties are committed to reaching an agreement, Qatar’s mediators will find a way to achieve it,” one Qatari official told Sky News.

In 2022, the Taliban banned Afghan women from working for NGOs. What led up to the arrest of the Reynolds, who dedicated so much of their lives to running an NGO is still unclear. But for their family, today is a day they had longed for.

An elderly British couple who have been freed after being detained by the Taliban earlier this year have been reunited with their daughter.

Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband Peter, 80, were detained by the Taliban’s interior ministry on 1 February as they travelled to their home in Bamyan province, central Afghanistan.

In March, they were moved to a maximum security prison in Kabul where they had been held without charge.

In the final stages of negotiations they were transferred to Kabul’s central prison.

They were safely released from detention on Friday and flown to Doha following mediation led by Qatar.

As they touched down in Doha, Sky correspondent Sally Lockwood said she saw the “joy” on Mrs Reynolds’ face as her daughter Sarah hugged her on the tarmac.

She told Lockwood it was “wonderful” to have arrived in Qatar.

Earlier, Sky correspondent Cordelia Lynch was at Kabul Airport as the freed couple arrived and departed.

Mr Reynolds told her: “We are just very thankful.”

His wife added: “We’ve been treated very well. We’re looking forward to seeing our children.

“We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens.”

Asked by Lynch if they had a message for family and friends, Mrs Reynolds replied: “My message is God is good, as they say in Afghanistan.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the news in a statement thanking Qatar.

“I welcome the release of Peter and Barbara Reynolds from detention in Afghanistan, and I know this long-awaited news will come as a huge relief to them and their family,” he said.

“I want to pay tribute to the vital role played by Qatar, including The Amir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, in securing their freedom.”

Richard Lindsay, the UK’s special envoy to Afghanistan, told Lynch it remained “unclear” on what grounds the couple had been detained.

He said they were “very relieved to be going home and delighted to be reunited with their family”.

Asked about the state of their health, he said: “I am not a doctor, but they are very happy.”

He added the British government’s travel advice to the country was clear. “We advise British nationals not to travel to Afghanistan. That remains the case and will remain the case,” he said.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson at the Taliban government’s foreign ministry, said in a statement posted on X that the couple “violated Afghan law” and were released from prison after a court hearing.

He did not say what law the couple were alleged to have broken.

Qatar, the energy-rich nation on the Arabian Peninsula that mediated talks between the US and the Taliban before the American withdrawal, helped in releasing the Reynolds.

Mirdef Ali Al-Qashouti, acting charge d’affaires at the Qatar Embassy in Kabul, told Lynch that Qatari officials ensured the couple were kept in “comfortable” conditions during talks.

He told Lynch the Reynolds’ release was because of “continuous efforts by my government to keep our policy in helping releasing hostages and our mediation and diplomacy”.

“Throughout their eight months in detention – during which they were largely held separately – the Qatari embassy in Kabul provided them with critical support, including access to their doctor, delivery of medication, and regular communication with their family,” a Qatari official told Reuters news agency.

Hamish Falconer, minister for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, said in a statement: “The UK has worked intensively since their detention and has supported the family throughout.

“Qatar played an essential role in this case, for which I am hugely grateful.”

The couple have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and run an organisation called Rebuild, which provides education and training programmes.

They have been together since the 1960s and married in the Afghan capital in 1970.

Read more from Sky News:
Afghans relocated to UK ‘exaggerating’ Taliban threat

Their son, Jonathan, told Sky News in April his parents had “never heard one accusation or one charge”.

He said the British government had offered to evacuate them when the Taliban took over, to which they replied: “Why would we leave these people in their darkest hour?”

Mr and Mrs Reynolds are now on their way home, where they will be reunited with their family.

Speaking to Sky News from Wyoming in the United States following their release, Jonathan said he was “excited” to be seeing his parents again, and joked: “I’m a little bit jealous of my dad’s beard.”

“They look really well to me,” he said, “which I’m just delighted about”.

“I am looking forward to putting my arms around them and giving them a big hug, as all of my siblings will be.”

He offered his “special thanks” to all the British and Qatari diplomats involved in his parents’ release.

He said the grounds for their detention remained a mystery as they were given no explanation for their arrest.

“They were investigated for all kinds of things but everything came up with no evidence of any wrongdoing,” he said.

“One of them, the original arrest, they said something about flying a drone – my parents don’t own a drone. It’s hard enough trying to get them to know how to use certain new technologies, let alone a drone.

“So, yeah, bizarre things, but I think they were just people of interest and then got caught up in a big, big mess of a situation, and no one knew what to do. But I’m just happy they are home.”

Asked about their desire to return to Afghanistan, he said: “It’s probably not wise to go back to a place where they are not welcome, and I would say, clearly they are not welcome there.”

“They are going to arrive back in the UK with the clothes on their backs. They have sold everything… all of their possessions,” he said, when asked what the future held for his parents.

“Knowing my mum she has probably written a few books in her mind whilst she’s been in captivity.

“We have heard great reports from schools across Afghanistan that the programmes they set up are running really, really well, so they will probably want to continue those,” he added.

Canada has banned rap group Kneecap from entering the country for allegedly ‘glorifying terrorist organisations’.

The trio, who were due to play four concerts in Canada next month, were accused of promoting hate and violence by the country’s Liberal government.

Kneecap have subsequently threatened Canada’s parliamentary secretary for combatting crime, Vince Gasparro, with legal action.

Mr Gasparro said in a video on X that members of the group had been deemed ineligible to enter the country because of actions and statements that violate Canadian law.

He also accused the group of amplifying political violence and publicly displaying support for terrorist organisations, including Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and Hamas in Gaza.

Mr Gasparro said: “Advocating for political violence, glorifying terrorist organisations and displaying hate symbols that directly target the Jewish community are not protected forms of expression and will not be tolerated by our government.”

Commenting on the X post, Kneecap said: “Your comments about us are wholly untrue and deeply malicious. We will not accept it.

“No member of Kneecap has been convicted of ANY crime in ANY country EVER.”

The band added: “We have today instructed our lawyers to initiate action against you. We will be relentless in defending ourselves against baseless accusations to silence our opposition to genocide being committed by Israel.

“When we beat you in court, which we will, we will donate every cent to assist some of the thousands of child amputees in Gaza.”

Canada’s immigration ministry did not immediately respond to a request for more details.

This is the latest in a series of controversial incidents involving the Belfast-based band.

During the Glastonbury Festival in June, Kneecap‘s frontman Liam Og O Hannaidh, known by his stage name Mo Chara, accused Israel of committing war crimes. Israel has denied the accusation.

Kneecap have previously said its members do not support Hamas or Hezbollah.

They added that they condemn “all attacks on civilians, always”.

In May, Mr Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence in Britain after allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah during a London gig in November 2024.

He denied the allegation, saying it was thrown on stage during the performance.

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case later this month.

Kneecap were scheduled to play four Canadian concerts in October, two in Toronto and two in Vancouver, according to its website.