News: Taliban hold 3 Britons in Afghanistan

Three Britons are being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the British NGO Presidium Network said it was “working closely” with the families of the two detainees.

It’s about Miles Rutledge, a British citizen known as a “dangerous tourist” who returned to Afghanistan two years ago after being evacuated by the British armed forces and is a YouTube influencer, and Kevin Cornell is a volunteer paramedic at a charity. The organization and the hotel manager for the workers in Kabul were not named.

Two of those arrested are believed to have been in the hands of the Taliban since last January, while it is not known when the third was detained.

For its part, the British Foreign Office said in a statement, “We are working to establish consular contact with British nationals detained in Afghanistan and to support their families.”

“We believe they are in good health and well treated,” Scott Richards, a member of the presidium, told the BBC and Sky News. “We have no reason to believe they were subjected to ill-treatment, such as torture. .”

On Twitter the Presidium Network urged the Taliban to “focus on what we believe is a misunderstanding and free these men”.

We have completed a segment on live television for Sky News where we reiterate the importance of the rule of law and transparency in investigations. And he asked the Taliban to release these people considering what we consider a misunderstanding.

— Presidium Network (@PresidiumNet) April 1, 2023

It is noteworthy that last year, the Taliban released the famous TV journalist Peter Juvenal and 4 Britons for 6 months. At that time, the Afghan government spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, accused the British of “conducting illegal activities”. traditions of the country and the Afghan people.”

The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and have since sparked international outrage over its policies, particularly against women and girls.