Visas will be issued for family of victim

MORE than 50,000 people signed a petition to bring the parents of a Syrian refugee killed in the Grenfell Tower fire to the UK for his funeral.

Mohammed Alhajali, a 23-year-old Syrian refugee, was the first confirmed victim of the fire, while his older brother Omar – who was with him in the flat – survived after they were separated on the way out.

The petition was set up by family friend Mirna Suleiman, 26, who had been ringing around numerous hospitals, rest centres and the casualty helpline for news of his fate before discovering that he had not made it out alive.

“My mum told me and I just burst into tears. Even though I didn’t know him it was so difficult to bear the news,” she said.

Ms Suleiman said she then chose to launch the campaign because, as someone with Syrian family herself, she knew how difficult it was to obtain a visa for visits.

“I’ve tried to apply for a visa for my nan in Syria – appealed and appealed and got no response,” she said.

The percentage of rejected visa applications for visits from Syria has soared after the country’s devastating civil war began in 2011. However, the Home Office has indicated that it will allow Mr Alhajali’s family to come to the UK on compassionate grounds.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “We have established processes in place which allow us to consider visa applications outside the Immigration Rules on compassionate grounds.

“We are in contact with Mr Alhajali’s family and will offer any assistance we can to help them obtain the necessary travel documents they will require in these terribly sad circumstances.”

On the success of the campaign, Ms Suleiman said: “I’m happy – but not happy that it had to reach this. It shouldn’t reach a point where people are dying (before) we can allow families to be reunited”

The Change.org petition follows a crowdfunding effort to pay for Mr Alhajali’s funeral – with donations surpassing the £15,000 target within a day.