The British government remains locked in discussions with the Taliban to ensure the safe return of three British nationals, including a “danger tourist.”
“If there are risks to people’s safety, if they’re a British citizen abroad, then the UK government is going to do whatever it takes to ensure that they’re safe,” Home Secretary Suella Braverman told Sky News earlier this week. “The government is in negotiations and working hard to ensure people’s safety is upheld.”
“If there are problems and if there are safety concerns to British individuals abroad, then the FCO will be working actively to ensure people are safe,” she said when asked directly about negotiations over the three individuals.
YouTube blogger Miles Routledge, charity medic Kevin Cornwell and an unnamed British hotel manager have been arrested and held in prison, the latter two since January while Routledge was allegedly arrested on March 2 alongside two Polish nationals.
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Routledge posted a photo on his subscriber-only Patreon blog and wrote, “Yo guys, been taken by Afghan intelligence for taking like $1000 out of Western Union (sus amount). No internet, no idea when this will send, everything is good but please excuse my lack of communication.”
A friend told the Daily Mail that Routledge had also written that he would see “a few days of questioning,” but then posted no further message since March 8.
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The friend told the Mail that he was “very worried for Miles” and noted that the messages had posted on March 8 but were time stamped for March 2, making it possible someone had activated his phone at the later date and allowed them to automatically post.
Routledge previously required help from the British government in August 2021 when he was on holiday in Afghanistan and got caught up in the chaos that followed the U.S. military withdrawal.
He luckily managed to make it onto a British Army airlift, but appeared to decide it was worth returning to the country at just one year later.
Scott Richards, who is assisting the other two Brits, told Sky News that he believed they were in good health and treated well, but he admitted he has had “no meaningful contact” and “no access” for international monitoring agencies.
Cornwell stands accused of having an illegal firearm in the safe he keeps in his room, but his family said he had a license for the weapon. Richards speculated the license may have been overlooked during the search.
The Taliban did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment by the time of publication.
