LONDON: The United Kingdom (UK) on Tuesday welcomed the release of four British nationals from detention in Afghanistan and apologized on behalf of their families for “any violations of the laws of the country”.
Presidium Network, a British humanitarian non-profit, later tweeted that two people it was representing — YouTube star Miles Routledge and charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, were among those released, AFP reported.
The organization said on X that they are coming home! Thank you to everyone for their support of these nationals during this difficult period.
The two nationals were believed to have been held by the Taliban authorities since January.
At least a dozen dual-nationals or foreigners were believed to be in detention in Afghanistan, but authorities have not acknowledged any arrests.
Routledge, from Birmingham in central England, is famous for travelling to off-beat destinations and posting about his travel experiences on social media.
He was evacuated from Afghanistan in August 2021 by the UK armed forces as the Taliban retook the country, but later returned.
UK Appreciates Release of British Nationals
The UK Foreign Office earlier issued a statement saying, we welcome and appreciate the release by the current administration in Kabul of four British citizens who were detained on allegations of breaking the laws of Afghanistan.
The spokesperson added that on behalf of the families of the UK nationals, we express their apologies to the current administration of Afghanistan for any violations of the laws of the country.
