The government has now announced a new pathway for Afghan families separated during the August 2021 evacuations to finally reunite.

Safe Passage, the charity which supports unaccompanied refugee children to join family in the UK, has welcomed the news.

“This win comes after three years of relentless campaigning – while it’s not a perfect solution, it is still a huge step forward for some torn apart by Taliban persecution,” a spokesperson said. “After the fall of Kabul, many families were separated in the chaos of the evacuation, including at least 80 children. Despite repeated promises from officials, these families had no way to reunite, many living in hiding and fear from the Taliban.”

Safe Passage is also celebrating the safe reunion of Iyad, an orphaned boy from Gaza, with his uncle in the UK.

*Iyad’s life changed in an instant when an Israeli airstrike took his parents, five siblings, and grandparents. At just 13, he had lost everything and was badly injured, needing urgent medical treatment.

That’s when his uncle in the UK reached out to Safe Passage. They immediately started working to get Iyad a family reunion visa. It wasn’t easy – Iyad was in and out of hospitals in Gaza and then in Egypt, undergoing one difficult surgery after another.

Getting visas for people from Gaza is incredibly challenging right now. Fortunately, Iyad had made it to Egypt already – meaning he had already found a way out. The charity pushed hard for his case, asking the Government to expedite the process. And finally, in May, they received amazing news: Iyad’s visa was approved!

*An alias has been used to protect his identity.