Two of three British men being held by Taliban allowed call with families

Two of the British men being held by the Taliban successful Afghanistan person spoken to their families, a humanitarian radical representing them has said.

The Presidium Network said Kevin Cornwell, 53, and different unnamed antheral were capable to talk "freely" and that the calls had brought "great relief".

A 3rd man, named arsenic Miles Routledge, 23, but not being represented by the group, is besides being held.

The authorities has said it is "in negotiations" implicit the men.

Presidium, a UK-based non-profit organisation that supports radical successful crisis, said the 2 men were capable to talk for "one infinitesimal to 1 infinitesimal and a half" and described the telephone arsenic a motion of "tremendous advancement successful the situation".

Referring specifically to Mr Cornwell, it said: "The alleviation Kevin's household expressed aft proceeding his dependable for the archetypal clip successful 3 months, not knowing if helium was well, brought a large consciousness of bid and gave them anticipation that this concern volition beryllium resolved soon."

Mr Cornwell, a paramedic from Middlesbrough who works for a charity, and the unnamed antheral were detained connected 11 January.

Scott Richards of Presidium said antecedently that determination were "no authoritative charges arsenic such" but that the detention was understood to beryllium implicit a limb that had been successful a harmless successful Mr Cornwell's room.

He said the limb was being stored with a licence issued by the Afghan interior ministry but that the licence was missing.

"We person taken respective statements from witnesses who person seen the licence and affirm its existence," helium said.

"It is perfectly imaginable that during the hunt the licence was separated from the limb and, arsenic such, wherefore we notation to this script arsenic a probable misunderstanding."

Speaking to Sky News connected Sunday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the authorities was "in negotiations and moving hard to guarantee people's information is upheld".

"Anyone travelling to unsafe parts of the satellite should instrumentality the utmost caution. If they are going to bash that they should ever enactment connected the proposal of the Foreign Office question advice," she said.

"If determination are risks to people's safety, if they're a British national abroad, past the UK authorities is going to bash immoderate it takes to guarantee that they're safe."

The 3rd man, Mr Routledge, from Birmingham, is simply a erstwhile Loughborough University pupil known for travelling to unsafe countries and posting astir it connected societal media.

In August 2021, helium was evacuated from Afghanistan by the British equipped forces successful the period that the Taliban swept backmost into powerfulness successful the country. He said astatine the clip helium was "exhausted but relieved" and thankful to those who had helped get him out.

He chose to question to Afghanistan due to the fact that helium enjoys "dark" and "extreme" tourism, helium said.

He has not posted connected his YouTube transmission oregon his Twitter relationship for much than a month.