US woman held by Taliban alongside British couple warns of health concerns

An American woman who was imprisoned alongside a British husband and wife in Afghanistan has warned their health is deteriorating.

Faye Hall was arrested with Peter, 80, and Barbie Reynolds, 76, in February when they were returning to Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, where the couple lived.

While Ms Hall was released after two months, Mr and Mrs Reynolds remain in prison and still do not know why they are being held.

Ms Hall told the BBC: “There are a lot of people actually haven’t been charged and have been there for at least a year or two.

“With Barbie it’s different because she’s actually always been pretty healthy, but then all of a sudden, one day, she just couldn’t walk, and she couldn’t get up.

“And we don’t know what’s wrong with her. Her legs were just giving out so and there’s no diagnosis and it’s not a precondition.

“She had always walked and is a very active person.

“I think his conditions were not as good, and being separate from Barbie, he’s definitely getting much, much weaker, and his health is just deteriorating.”

Ms Hall said the prison conditions were basic and the number of people being detained varied.

“There’s no beds, but there’s just some used mat on the floor, but the floor is carpeted and there is air conditioning or heater at the time, but it just fluctuates,” she said.

“Sometimes could be two people, sometimes can be seven people all in this little room.”

Mr and Mrs Reynolds had run school training programmes for 18 years in the country and had remained following the Taliban takeover in 2021.