Afghan boy missing less than a month after arriving in UK

Police search for Mohammed Khan who speaks little English and doesn't know local area

Mohammed Khan, 11, from Afghanistan, was last seen in Deptford, south London, about 4pm on Tuesday. PA

A young boy from Afghanistan has gone missing in London less than a month after arriving in the UK.

Metropolitan Police detectives have launched a high-risk missing persons investigation as they search for Mohammed Khan, 11, who was last seen about 4pm on Tuesday.

The force said he was last spotted in Deptford, south London, after he left the address where he had been staying to play football in a nearby park.

Officers began a search of the area when Mohammed did not return. The Met has released photographs of the boy and officers are appealing to the public to help find him.

He is 150 centimetres tall, with short dark hair, and was last seen wearing black jeans, a black puffer jacket and a black hat with a Chicago Bulls logo.

His first language is Pashto and he speaks very little English.

“As we enter the second night since Mohammed went missing, we are growing increasingly concerned," said Acting Det Insp Lara Pink, from the South-East Missing Persons Unit.

“He is in an unfamiliar country and doesn’t speak much English. He has only recently arrived in Deptford and won’t know his way around.

“While we are keeping an open mind, we cannot rule out that Mohammed has come into contact with people who may wish him harm and it is important that anyone with any information about his whereabouts comes forward.”

Anyone who sees Mohammed should call 999, with the reference 7180/01DEC, and anyone with other information about his whereabouts should call police on 101.