A Year Since Iconic Photo Of Alan Kurdi, Dad Says Little Has Changed

The father of Syrian boy Alan Kurdi, whose image prompted a global outcry about the refugee crisis, has said little has changed in the year since his son's death.

Images of the three-year-old refugee, who died when an inflatable boat carrying his family from Syria capsized, made headlines across the world.

His body washed up on a Turkish beach a year ago today. His mother Rehana and brother Galib also died while trying to cross into Europe from Turkey.

A year on, his father, Abdullah Kurdi, who now lives in Iraq, has expressed his disappointment that more has not been done to address the plight of refugees.

"Politicians said after the death of my family: never again!" he told Germany's Bild newspaper.

"Everyone allegedly wanted to do something after the photos that had so moved them. But what is happening now? The dying goes on and nobody's doing anything."

In Britain, the Government is facing calls to boost action to help asylum seekers.

On the anniversary of Alan's death, faith leaders, council chiefs and celebrities gathered for a memorial outside the Home Office and handed in a letter for Home Secretary Amber Rudd, urging immediate action to bring the 387 refugee children currently in Calais to Britain.

Celebrities including actress Juliet Stevenson attended the event.

She told Sky News of all the children whose names are listed in the letter, 178 have a legal right to be in the UK because they have close relatives in Britain.

"I have been to the camp myself a few times," she said. "About six weeks ago I interviewed a group of children between the ages of eight and 14. The Afghani boys had to leave because they were threatened by ISIS.

"The Syrian children had escaped war and barrel-bombs and chemical gassing, and many of them had lost their families.

"Those children had despair in their eyes.

"It's time we honoured our obligations - morally and as human beings - to give them some sanctuary here until it is safe for them to go home."

Last year there were more than 3,000 claims for asylum by unaccompanied children in the UK.

Since the start of 2015 Kent County Council has taken in more than 1,000.

Rabbi Danny Rich told Sky News: "The Government's problem is the draw factor. If you bring in more children and adult refugees, more will want to come, but I must say I find that rather cynical and depressing."

The Home Office has said it is working with the French authorities to ensure children in Calais with links to the UK get the support they need as soon as possible.

But there have been concerns that accepting more people will put a strain on public services, like housing and the NHS.

Ex-soldier Rob Lawrie was so moved by a young girl he met in the camp that he attempted to smuggle her back to the UK. However, his attempt failed and he ended up being fined by the French courts.

He said: "If these children are left there much longer, we will be left with a lot of deaths and post traumatic disorder. They don't know what's going on in the world."

;; The French Interior Minister has said that the sprawling 'Jungle' migrant camp in Calais will be closed "as rapidly as possible".

After visiting the site, Bernard Cazeneuve said the authorities must work "methodically and with perseverance .. to definitively close the camp."

And he said the closure should be achieved "as rapidly as possible".

Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart said earlier that Mr Cazeneuve had assured her that the camp would be dismantled in a single operation.