Four British nationals who were held in Taliban custody in Afghanistan have been released and are to return to the UK on Tuesday.
The Presidium Network, a British not-for-profit organisation that works in conflict zones and has assisted the men, named three of them as Kevin Cornwell, a charity medic; Miles Routledge and Ian Purchase. The other cannot be named for legal reasons.
The men were all detained over allegedly breaking the country’s laws earlier this year.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said the UK government “regrets this episode”. They said: “On behalf of families of the British nationals, we express their apologies to the current administration of Afghanistan for any violations of the laws of the country.”
Scott Richards, co-founder of the Presidium Network, said the men were returning to the UK on Tuesday.
Richards wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter): “Mr Cornwell and the three other British nationals, which includes Miles Routledge have been released and have left Afghanistan. They are coming home! Thank you to everyone for their support of these men during this difficult period. We are all relieved.
“The families will likely need some time together before speaking with the media, and two of the men will likely need medical assistance.”
In April it emerged that the four men were being held in custody by the Taliban.
Routledge had returned to the country after being evacuated by British armed forces in 2021 during the Kabul airlift, after he travelled there for a “holiday” and was caught up in the chaos of the Taliban takeover.
Cornwell, who is from Middlesbrough, had been working for the UN high commissioner for refugees when he was detained in January. He was arrested in a raid by officers from the Taliban’s general directorate of intelligence and was accused of having an illegal firearm in the safe in his hotel room.
Cornwell’s family said at the time that he had been issued a licence for the handgun by the Taliban government.
In June, five British nationals held by the Taliban for about six months including the former BBC cameraman and Afghanistan expert Peter Jouvenal were released.
It is understood that the five had been seized separately and British sources said nothing was given in return for their release except an apology by them.
