3 British nationals being held by Taliban

KABUL (Khaama Press): Three British nationals are currently being held in custody by the de facto government in Afghanistan, including so-called “danger tourist” Miles Routledge.

According to the report, the other two men are charity medic Kevin Cornwell, 53, and another unidentified UK national who manages a hotel in Kabul.

Officers from the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) detained Mr Cornwell at his hotel in January. He is suspected of keeping an illegal handgun in his room safe. Yet according to his family, he received a licence for it.

Routledge had been evacuated from Afghanistan by the British military in August 2021, but he just made the decision to go back.

He is a famous YouTuber who travels to dangerous countries and posts about them on social media.

Mr Routledge’s Twitter states that he goes “to the most dangerous places on Earth for fun”, listing off recent destinations as Afghanistan, South Sudan and Ukraine.
In February, he tweeted that if he were ever placed on a “no-fly list”, he would take an “Uber to Afghanistan.”

“We are working hard to secure consular contact with British nationals detained in Afghanistan, and we are supporting families,” a spokesperson for Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told Reuters.

Earlier, the UK government advised British nationals against all travel to Afghanistan.
British people have been advised by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of the UK to keep a low profile and use caution if they decide to travel to or stay in Afghanistan despite the “heightened” risk of imprisonment.

Furthermore, due to the high level of security, the statement advised British citizens to stay away from Kabul Airport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, religious gatherings, festivals, and marketplaces.