UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Friday hailed the "vital role" played by Qatar in winning the release of a British couple held by Taliban authorities in Afghanistan.

He welcomed the release of Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife, Barbie, 76, who had been arrested in February, saying: "This long-awaited news will come as a huge relief to them and their family."

"I want to pay tribute to the vital role played by Qatar," including His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, "in securing their freedom", Starmer added in a statement.
Keir StarmerQatar-UkraineBritish couple release
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