Lammy needs to condemn Taliban, say family of captured couple
The family of an elderly British couple detained in Afghanistan have urged David Lammy to publicly condemn the Taliban and demand the couple's release.
Peter Reynolds, 79, and his 75-year-old wife Barbie, were captured by the Taliban while returning to their home in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan, in February.
Faye Hall, an American citizen who was detained alongside them, was released last week in a deal cut with senior US officials.
Sarah Entwistle, the Reynolds's daughter, told The Telegraph that if American officials were able to free Ms Hall, the Government should be able to free her parents.
'We understand that there have been reasons for caution over previous weeks, but now that America has Faye back, we are desperately hoping there is more the British Government can do.
'We are asking the Foreign Secretary to make a public statement condemning the Taliban for detaining Mum and Dad without any evidence of wrongdoing,' she added.
When asked by The Telegraph if Mr Lammy would condemn the Taliban, a spokesman said: 'We are supporting the family of two British nationals who are detained in Afghanistan.'
Peter and Barbie were detained by the Taliban's interior ministry on Feb 1 for allegedly travelling on fake passports.
The Telegraph has subsequently learnt, however, that they are victims of a deepening internal power struggle within the Islamist regime. Their arrest was ordered by a commander linked to the Haqqani network, a powerful Taliban faction led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the interior minister.
'All of them [Ms Hall and the Reynolds] were arrested by the Haqqani network to extract concessions from their respective governments and put pressure on the supreme Mulla,' a senior Taliban official said
'They are now satisfied after the [Americans] lifted sanctions on Sirajuddin [Haqqani] and are waiting to see what they can get from the British.'
The couple, who married in Kabul in 1970, have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and have joint UK-Afghan citizenship
The pair set up Rebuild, a company that provides education and training programmes for government and non-government organisations. They remained in the country when the Taliban took power in 2021.
The couple were taken to court separately last month in Kabul but did not appear before a judge.
Ms Entwistle said her mother is suffering from malnutrition, receiving only one meal per day compared with three meals provided to male detainees.
Ms Entwistle said, 'We are delighted that Faye has been released and will be able to return to America in time for the birth of her granddaughter.'
'We continue to hope that the Taliban will embrace all that is decent and just by granting clemency during this meaningful time of Eid.'
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