Mercy given to bomb victim

A SYRIAN woman who sustained burns to 90 per cent of her body after a bomb blast has been allowed into Spain for hospital treatment. She was transferred to Malaga from Melilla and collected by relatives who took her to Barcelona.

Manar Almustafa escaped from Syria and arrived in the Spanish enclave of Melilla in North Africa in November 2013. She was accompanied by 13 relatives thanks to a programme put in place by the Ministry of Employment and Social Security, and helped by Cruz Roja to travel to the mainland, where they will be given refugee status and international protection. 

The woman was seriously injured when a bomb exploded at her home in Syria.

Several members of her family were killed and others were seriously injured. The family fled through Lebanon, Egypt and Algeria to Melilla, although she was unable to receive the treatment she required there. 

Hundreds of Syrians began to arrive in Melilla in July, via the frontier with Morocco. They use Moroccan passports bought for up to €3,000. Many more are now asking for the same rights as Manar Almustafa to come to Spain.