Why ‘danger tourist’ Miles Routledge, from Birmingham, is in Taliban custody in Afghanistan

A social media influencer from Birmingham - who travels to dangerous countries - is being held by Taliban in Afghanistan, according to reports.

Miles Routledge, 23, is one of the three British nationals being held in Afghanistan and has been described as a ‘danger tourist’ in one of the videos of himself in Afghanistan. One of the other British nationals being held by the Taliban is a medic Kevin Cornwell and there is a third unnamed UK national.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said on TV talk show Sophy Ridge On Sunday that the government is “in negotiations and working hard to ensure people’s safety is upheld”.

Who is Miles Routledge and has he been to Afghanistan before?

Miles Routledge is a graduate student from Birmingham and this is not the first time Routledge travelled to Afghanistan. In 2021, he had to be evacuated by the British Army after he travelled there on the eve of Taliban’s rise to power.

He had said back then: “I googled the 10 most dangerous countries in the world, and then I used that as a shopping list. At the top was Afghanistan.

“I messaged some people, watched some YouTube videos and thought ‘this stuff’s alright!’ I thought as the UK and US are still there, it’s got to be pretty safe. I thought ‘goofing off in Afghanistan...sounds good!’” However, the armies withdrew soon after and he was evacuated with other British nationals from Kabul Airport from Dubai.

The thrill seeking tourist’s Twitter bio says: “I go to the most dangerous places on Earth for fun! Afghanistan Taliban takeover, South Sudan, Ukraine war, shooting w/ Taliban, Snake Island.”

Ilha da Queimada Grande, also known as Snake Island, an uninhabitated island in Brazil, is almost impossible to get access to. Among other dangerous things, he has illegally crossed the Mexican border and has a video about it on YouTube.

He also filmed himself joining a parade on the anniversary of when Taliban reclaimed Afghanistan having visited the country again around six months ago.

Why is the Taliban holding Miles Routledge?

It is currently not known when the Taliban took Miles into custody or why they are holding him. The last post on Routledge’s social media was on February 27.