An urgent manhunt is underway for an Afghan father who abducted his three sons from their foster home in London.
Imran Safi, 26, is said to have threatened a foster carer with knife in Coulsdon, south London, on August 20 before taking the children, according to a statement issued by UK Embassy in Kabul on Monday.
The children are identified as Bilal Safi, six, Mohammad Ebrar Safi, five, and Mohammd YAseen Safi, three.
They were playing in the garden while their foster carer was in the house. The carer, a woman, did not suffer any serious physical injuries in the incident but was “understandably distressed.”
An all-ports alert has been issued for Safi, an Afghan national with links to Pakistan.
“This incident involved the use of a weapon and violence and we are incredibly concerned for these three young, vulnerable children who are now being hidden by an individual who may be armed with a knife,” said Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer, Commander of the South Area Basic Command Unit.
“We know there are people with detailed knowledge of the whereabouts of these children, and we fully appreciate there may be very good reasons for those individuals not wanting to come forward. But right now I would strongly urge them to do the right thing and assist us in locating them.”
Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said it was “an absolute priority” to find the three children and more than 100 officers were working to locate them.
“While we do not believe at this time there is any immediate risk to their physical safety, their location, access to accommodation, healthcare, and other provisions is entirely unknown,” he said.
Eight people have been arrested in connection with the abduction.
