The family of an 11-year-old Afghan refugee stranded in France after being separated from his parents in the Kabul airport bombing has accused Priti Patel of making “false promises”.

Qamar Jabarkhyl, a 28-year-old from Harrow, said his “heart melts” when his young cousin, Obaidullah, calls him crying every day since being stranded.

Obaidullah and his parents, along with his twin brother and older sister, were meant to seek refuge in Harrow after they fled his home city of Jalalabad.

Harrow Times: Qamar Jabarkhyl (right) with his cousin 11-year-old Afghan refugee Obaidullah Jabarkhy. Credit: PAQamar Jabarkhyl (right) with his cousin 11-year-old Afghan refugee Obaidullah Jabarkhy. Credit: PA

They wanted to catch a flight to the UK to stay with Mr Jabarkhyl, but were thrown apart as they waited to board a plane when a bomb was detonated outside the airport on August 26 last year.

Mr Jabarkhyl said: “It sounded like complete chaos from what Obaidullah told me. He was holding hands with his twin brother and they ran one towards the (airport) gates and their family ran the other way.”

He believes the brothers were flown to Doha, where, exhausted from the journey, Obaidullah fell asleep and got lost when his twin went to the toilet.

The youngster was woken up and ushered in a different direction by strangers and has since been stuck in France for the past eight months.

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In March, a family reunion visa application was made for Obaidullah on the advice of the Home Office, which promised it would be dealt with swiftly.

Four months later, the family say the Home Office has still failed to confirm whether Obaidullah will be able to stay with them in the UK.

Harrow Times: Bob Blackman criticised Home Office services after this case.Bob Blackman criticised Home Office services after this case.

Mr Jabarkhyl said: “I just feel the Home Office don’t even care, with these empty promises Priti Patel makes about letting people from Afghanistan settle in the country.”

Obaidullah’s parents and sister could not be evacuated and have moved to a rural area of Afghanistan, while his twin made it safely to the UK.

It comes after Harrow East MP Bob Blackman raised Obaidullah’s case in the House of Commons, describing the bureaucracy surrounding biometric cards and applications as “a nightmare”.