According to SITE Intelligence Group, an American consultancy group that monitors jihadist activity, has reported that British national Miles Routledge will be released by the Taliban and banned from Afghanistan.
Routledge, a self proclaimed danger tourist, rose to internet fame after traveling to Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover of the country in 2021, which resulted in him having to be evacuated from the country during the fall of Kabul. Since then, Routledge has traveled to Ukraine and South Sudan. While it remains unclear exactly when he arrived back in Afghanistan, Routledge was detained by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) in January for unknown reasons.
Routledge is being held along with two other Brits, medical volunteer Kevin Cornwell and an unidentified hotel manager. According to Cornwell’s family, he was detained by the Taliban over false accusations that he was in possession of an unregistered handgun in his room at the Darya Village Hotel. The hotel’s British manager was detained as well when the Taliban raided the premise. The British government is negotiating the two men’s release.
