LONDON: Britain’s interior minister Suella Braverman said on Sunday that the UK government was “in negotiations” after the Taliban detained three British men in Afghanistan.
According to media reports, the detainees were identified as charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, YouTube star Miles Routledge and the unnamed manager of a hotel for aid workers.
While talking to Sky News, the interior minister said that the UK government was in negotiations and working hard to ensure and secure the safety of the detainees.
Presidium Network (a non-profit group) mentioned on its Twitter Account on Saturday that it had been working closely with family members of the detainees.
A statement issued by the UK foreign ministry maintained that the government was working hard to get consular contact with British nationals detained in Afghanistan, adding that they were supporting their families.
Scott Richards of the Presidium Network believed said that they had no reseason to believe that they had been subject to any negative treatment, such as torture or any other unpleasant situation.
Contact between Taliban and UK Government
However, he added there had been “no meaningful contact” between the detainees and the authorities. The two detainees are believed to have been held by Taliban officials since January. It is not obvious how long the third man has been held.
Meanwhile, the Presidium on Twitter requested the Taliban to be “considerate of what they believe was a misunderstanding and requested Taliban their release.
In 2022, the Taliban authorities freed a veteran television cameraman, along with four other British nationals being held for about six months.
Peter Jouvenal was one of a number of Britons that the UK government said had been held by the hardline Islamists.
Officials from Britain’s foreign ministry stated that the five “had no role in the work of the UK government in Afghanistan and travelled to the war-torn country against the UK government’s travel advice and called it a mistake.
At that time, Afghanistan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid criticized the Britons for having activities against the country’s traditions and laws of Afghanistan and its people”. However, they were freed later.
