The Afghan Taliban ruler has detained several English citizens and an American, including former freelance television journalists who have come to Afghanistan for more than 40 years, both the government

and family members said. The statement from the British government this week said there were a number of English citizens today in Taliban custody. While the government refused to release their identity, Syed Hassina, the wife of Peter Jouvenal, a former cameraman off turned the businessman, told the Associated Press, her husband was taken on December 13.

And US National Security Advisers Jake Sullivan told the “United States” CNN on Sunday that Washington “worked actively” to make Americans be released from Taliban detainees. He refused to say more, quoting his “sensitivity”.

American prisoners and at least four other British citizens in detention remain unknown. It is not clear how many were detained together.

Speaking to AP by telephone from his house in London, Syed, a Afghanistan, said his husband was in Afghanistan investigating business opportunities, including investment in lithium mining. Afghanistan is rich in lithium, the main component of energy storage batteries. He traveled alone and was not related to other detainees, he said.