'Danger Tourist' Among Three British Men Detained By Taliban In Afghanistan

Two out of the three men are believed to have been held by the Taliban since January.

Three British men have been detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan. ( Image Source :AFP )

New Delhi: Three British men have been taken into custody by the Taliban in Afghanistan, including so-called "danger tourist" Miles Routledge, a UK humanitarian organisation Presidium Network said on Saturday, as reported by news agency AFP. The group announced on Twitter that they had been "working closely with two of the families".

A spokesperson for Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement, "We are working hard to secure consular contact with British nationals detained in Afghanistan and we are supporting families."

According to AFP, Scott Richards of the Presidium Network told Sky News, "We believe they are in good health and being well treated."

"We have no reason to believe they've been subject to any negative treatment such as torture and we're told that they are as good as can be expected in such circumstances," he added.

There had been "no meaningful contact" between authorities and the two men Presidium is assisting, he added.

These two men are believed to have been held by the Taliban since January, reported AFP.

The duration of the detention of the third man is currently unknown.

According to AFP, the Britishers have been identified as charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, an unnamed manager of a hotel for aid workers, and YouTube star Miles Routledge.

Presidium on Twitter urged the Taliban to be "considerate of what we believe is a misunderstanding and release these men".

Last year the Taliban freed a veteran television cameraman and four other British nationals it had held for six months. Peter Jouvenal was one of a "number" of Britons that the government in London said had been held by the hardline Islamists.

The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and has since sparked global outrage with its policies in particular towards women and girls.

(With inputs from agencies)