U.S. Citizen Faye Hall Released by Taliban After Two Months of Detention

Faye Hall, an American citizen, was released from Taliban detention, where she had been held for two months alongside a British couple and their Afghan interpreter. While Qatar mediates her return, calls for the release of the couple, who serve educational efforts in Afghanistan, raise concerns about their health and safety.

The Taliban government has released Faye Hall, a U.S. citizen held in detention for two months. She was taken into custody in February along with British nationals Barbie and Peter Reynolds and their Afghan interpreter. The couple, aged in their seventies, had been involved in running training programs aimed at empowering women and girls and had chosen to remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban regained control in 2021. Afghan authorities have not disclosed the specific reasons for their arrest.

Zalmay Khalilzad, a former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan who served from 2018 to 2021, announced on social media that Hall would be returning home soon and is currently in the care of Qatari officials. He expressed gratitude towards Qatar for its mediating role in securing her release.

This release marks the fourth instance of a U.S. citizen being freed by the Taliban since January, facilitated by ongoing diplomatic dialogues brokered by Qatar. Most recently, another American, George Glezmann, was released under similar circumstances, with U.S. officials labeling the act as a "goodwill gesture."

These developments come on the heels of high-level U.S. talks in Kabul, the first direct engagement between the two nations since the inauguration of President Trump. While Trump had previously negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the Taliban that excluded the Afghan government, the Biden administration’s approach and policies regarding the Taliban have not been clearly articulated.

Hall's companion, Peter Reynolds, remains in custody alongside his wife, with their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, voicing concerns over their health. She reported that her father, who is dealing with serious medical issues, has faced maltreatment during his imprisonment.

Entwistle shared her parents' commitment to their work in Afghanistan, stating that they felt an obligation to stay and assist Afghans in their "hour of need." The couple's history of educational initiatives in the country stretches back decades, beginning after they married in Kabul in 1970. Their daughter has made urgent appeals for their release, emphasizing the critical medical care they require upon returning home.