A British couple released by the Taliban in Afghanistan last week say they were detained in 10 different prisons and at one point thought they would be executed.
Peter, 80, and wife Barbie Reynolds, 76, said it was never explained to them why they were being held, nor why they were released.
The couple, who have run a charity programme in Afghanistan for almost two decades, arrived back in the UK on Saturday after seven and a half months in detention.
Good, old-fashioned diplomacy ended their ordeal, Hamish Falconer, minister for the Middle East, told the BBC, and again thanked the government of Qatar, which helped mediate their release.
Both suffered health problems while in prison, including severe anaemia. Taliban officials maintained they received adequate medical care during their detention and that their human rights were respected.
They were arrested on 1 February this year after taking a chartered flight from Kabul to Bamiyan province, along with friend Faye Hall and their translator who were later released.
A spokesperson for the Taliban foreign ministry, speaking after their release, said they had served their time but did not reveal the reasons for their detention.
Peter Reynolds said in written remarks sent to the BBC, We have a lot to process. We are leaving behind quality people, our home, and all our possessions.
The couple have a deep love of Afghanistan, and were married there in 1970. Since 2009, they have been running training projects in Kabul and Bamiyan, including a project that trained women and children, which had been approved by local authorities despite a Taliban ban on women's employment and education for girls over 12 years old.
One of the prisons Peter and Barbie were held in was Pul-e-Charkhi, a notorious maximum security prison near Kabul. At one point, they were held in basement cells with no windows for two months. For the final weeks of their detention, they were moved above ground, where they say they had access to better food and were treated with kindness.
Peter and Barbie were taken to court around four times, each time without charges. They expressed confusion over their detention, with Mr Reynolds adding that they were both mostly treated with respect but felt a huge powerlessness.
Upon their return to the UK, the couple expressed a desire for familiar food, with Barbie craving salad and Peter wanting baked beans. They stated they would not be returning to Afghanistan for now, feeling confident in the capability of the Afghan people to shape a positive future for their country without their presence.
The UK government has warned against all travel to Afghanistan, citing a high risk of detention for British nationals.
