Since they seized energy in August, the Taliban have cracked down on dissent. (File)
London:
A “quantity” of British nationals are being detained in Afghanistan, the UK authorities stated Saturday, including that it had raised the difficulty with the nation’s Taliban authorities.
The international ministry’s assertion to AFP got here a day after the Taliban launched two abroad journalists who had been detained, together with a former BBC correspondent.
“We’re offering assist to the households of quite a few British males who’ve been detained in Afghanistan,” the ministry stated, with out specifying what number of British nationals have been being held and by whom.
“UK officers have raised their detention with the Taliban at each alternative, together with when a delegation travelled to Kabul this week.”
A British delegation led by Hugo Shorter — the top of the UK’s mission to Afghanistan however based mostly in Qatar — flew to Kabul to satisfy international minister Amir Khan Muttaqi earlier this week.
Shorter stated he had mentioned the humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan, in addition to human rights abuses, with Taliban officers throughout his journey to the nation.
On Friday, Western media studies stated not less than six British residents have been being detained in Afghanistan, together with former BBC correspondent Andrew North, who was launched later that day.
The Taliban authorities didn’t remark when contacted by AFP.
Additionally amongst British nationals detained is Peter Jouvenal, who has been held since early December, an announcement launched by his pals stated.
A journalist turned businessman, Jouvenal can also be a German citizen and is married to an Afghan lady.
He might need been “detained in error” as he was in Afghanistan to debate investments within the nation’s mining trade, the assertion stated.
“He’s being held with out cost, and with no freedom to contact his household or legal professionals,” it stated, including that Jouvenal had been the cameraman for a CNN interview with the late Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden in 1997 in Afghanistan.
“Earlier than his arrest he was working overtly and had frequent conferences with senior Taliban officers.”
On Friday, the Taliban launched North and one other international journalist after the 2 have been detained whereas on an project for the UN refugee company in Afghanistan.
It was unclear after they have been detained however the company stated it was “relieved” that the 2 and their Afghan colleagues have been free.
Taliban authorities spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that they had been detained as a result of they didn’t possess legitimate id playing cards and paperwork.
Since they seized energy in August, the Taliban have cracked down on dissent, forcefully dispersing girls’s protests, detaining critics of the regime and infrequently beating Afghan journalists.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)