Three British men detained in Taliban custody in Afghanistan

Non-profit organisation the Presidium Network is assisting two of the men.

Miles Routledge (Miles Routledge/PA)

(PA Media)

Three British men are being held in Taliban custody in Afghanistan.

Non-profit organisation the Presidium Network is assisting two of the men, charity medic Kevin Cornwell and a second unnamed man.

Presidium confirmed that the third man is Miles Routledge, the British holidaymaker who received widespread attention and criticism on social media in August 2021 having travelled to Afghanistan despite the Taliban’s gains in the nation.

The two men being assisted by Presidium were detained by Taliban secret police on January 11.

It is unclear how long Mr Routledge has been held for.

Scott Richards, co-founder of the Presidium Network, who initially spoke to the Mail on Sunday, told the PA news agency on Saturday: “I am told that those men are in good health and being treated well.

“I have no reason to believe they have been subject to any poor treatment whatsoever.”

Mr Richards said the men are being held in a general directorate of intelligence facility for foreigners.

He said there has been no contact with the men.

A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spokesman said: “We are working hard to secure consular contact with British nationals detained in Afghanistan and we are supporting families.”

The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Afghanistan based on the security risks, including detention.