Oct. 10 (UPI) – The British government announced Tuesday that four citizens who were held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan have been released.
“We welcome and appreciate the release by the current administration of Afghanistan of four British nationals who were detained on allegations of breaking the laws of Afghanistan,” stated a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in a press release on Tuesday.
Among the Britons released were U.N. aid worker Kevin Cornwell and Miles Routledge, an adventurous tourist who shares experiences on social media.
According to BBC, the Presidium Network, a U.K. non-profit organization that supports communities in crisis, revealed that the detention was due to a weapon found in a safe in Cornwell’s room.
Scott Richards from the Presidium Network clarified that the weapon was licensed by the Afghan Interior Ministry.
While details regarding the current condition of the former hostages remain limited, previous reports indicated their deteriorating health in recent times.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office issued an apology to the Taliban-led Afghan government without explicitly mentioning the Taliban.
“On behalf of the families of the British nationals, we express our apologies to the current administration of Afghanistan for any violations of the country’s laws,” the spokesperson stated.
The Foreign Office also advised British nationals to be cautious of local and British laws while traveling.
“We remind all British nationals to comply with relevant UK counter-terrorism legislation when overseas and adhere to the laws of the country they are visiting,” emphasized the spokesperson from the Foreign Office.
