© Futerman Rose & Associates 2024
Yvonne Ridley’s terrifying 10 day detainment by the Taliban regime in 2001 struck a chord that continues to resonate.
At a time when the world was plunged into a state of unprecedented chaos and uncertainty following the terrorist atrocities in the US, Yvonne faced the ordeal of her life.
Captured by the Taliban as she attempted to cross the Afghan border to report on the outbreak of war for the Sunday Express, Yvonne found her life in the balance, at the hands of the most reviled regime in the world.
An unexpected survival instinct kicked in that saw her face her captors not with fear, but with anger. Her courage and gutsiness, and that of her family, prompted the Taliban to release her, glad to be rid of such a ‘difficult’ woman.
Yvonne first told the story of her experience in her book In the Hands of the Taliban, published by Robson Books in 2001. From her capture through days of uncertainty at the mercy of the Taliban to her eventual release, she offered a unique perspective into a way of life that remains a mystery to many.
Now she brings her perspective, experience and expert knowledge to bear on the fast-changing situation in 2021.
Dr Ridley is currently preparing a new, updated edition of In the Hands of the Taliban to reflect recent developments in Afghanistan.