A humanitarian organisation representing two British men held by the Taliban in Afghanistan says they have spoken to their families.
Kevin Cornwell, 53, and an unidentified guy spoke “freely” and felt “great relief,” according to the Presidium Network.
A third man, identified as Miles Routledge, 23, who is not being represented by the group, is also being detained.
The government has stated that it is “in negotiations” regarding the men.
Presidium, a non-profit organization in the United Kingdom that assists individuals in crisis, reported that the two men were able to speak for “one to one and a half minutes” and described the call as an indication of “tremendous progress in the situation.”
Referring specifically to Mr. Cornwell, the report stated, “The relief Kevin’s family felt after hearing his voice for the first time in three months, not knowing if he was well, brought them a great sense of calm and gave them hope that this situation will be resolved soon.”
Mr. Cornwell, a Middlesbrough-based paramedic who works for a charity, and the unidentified individual were detained on January 11.
Scott Richards of Presidium stated previously that there were “no official allegations as such,” but that Mr. Cornwell’s detention was believed to be related to a weapon found in a safe in his room.
He said the weapon was kept with an Afghan Ministry of Interior licence, but it was missing.
“We have obtained several statements from witnesses who have seen the license and affirm its existence,” he said.
“It is entirely conceivable that the license was separated from the firearm during the search. Which is why we refer to this scenario as a probable misunderstanding.”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman told that the government was “in negotiations and working diligently to ensure people’s safety is upheld.”
“Anyone traveling to dangerous regions of the globe should exercise the utmost caution and always follow the advice of the Foreign Office’s travel advice,” she said.
The British government will protect British citizens abroad from safety risks.
Mr. Routledge, from Birmingham, is a former Loughborough University student who is notorious for posting about his travels to hazardous countries on social media.
In August 2021, the British military removed him from Afghanistan after the Taliban retook power. He stated at the time that he was “exhausted but relieved” and grateful to those who aided his escape.
According to him, he chose to visit Afghanistan because he prefers “dark” and “extreme” tourism.
His Twitter account and YouTube channel have been inactive for over a month.
