Taliban releases detained US citizen Faye Hall

The former U.S. special envoy to Kabul has stated that an American citizen, detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan for two months, has been released. This citizen's release brings a glimmer of hope for a thaw in U.S.-Afghan relations. This positive development could potentially pave the way for further dialogue.

Zalmay Khalilzad posted on social platform X that Fai Hole, after being arrested by the Taliban in February, "will soon be on her way home." Khalilzad served as the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation from 2018 to 2021. Ms. Hole is currently under the care of Qatari officials, and during her detention, she was held with a British couple in their seventies, Barbie and Peter Reynolds, along with their translator.

The British couple ran training programs for women and girls. They chose to remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban regained control in 2021. Afghan officials have not publicly stated the reasons for their arrest. Khalilzad thanked Qatar in a statement, as Qatar acted as a mediator between the United States and Afghanistan. The U.S. State Department has not immediately responded to requests for comment.

Ms. Hole is the fourth U.S. citizen released by the Taliban since January, following an agreement brokered by Qatar. Just days prior, they released another American, George Glezman, who had been detained for two years. At the time, the government stated that the aviation mechanic was being released for "humanitarian reasons" and that the decision was a "gesture of goodwill." These decisions were made after U.S. officials visited the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Meanwhile, Barbie and Peter Reynolds remain in detention. Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, stated that her 79-year-old father suffers from serious health problems in prison, including a chest infection, an eye infection, and digestive issues. She also claimed that he has been beaten since being detained. Ms. Entwistle has called on the Taliban to release her parents so they can return home to receive the medication they need to survive. The couple met in England and married in Kabul in 1970, running educational programs in the region for many years. The Reynolds were among the few Westerners who decided to stay when the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. Ms. Hole was arrested while traveling with the couple to their home in Bamyan Province.