Bushr al-Tawashi was feared dead after shelling in his home in Syria

A Syrian boy left behind by his parents when they fled bombardment in Damascus three months ago has been reunited with them, according to the family's lawyer.

Two-year-old Bushr was found wandering in rubble by neighbours who handed him over to rebel fighters.

With the help of other Syrians and lawyers, Bushr was taken first to Lebanon and then to rejoin his family in the Cypriot town of Limassol.

The family are now seeking asylum in Cyprus, their lawyer says.

Bushr's parents originally thought that he had been picked up by extended family members when they fled Damascus.

Family's gratitude

When they realised he had been left behind, heavy fighting prevented them from going back to look for him, lawyer Stella Constantinou said.

"You can imagine how they felt when they were told their son was alive after bearing all this guilt thinking that he was dead," Ms Constantinou told the Associated Press.

Once in Cyprus the family turned to Ms Constantinou for help.

When they had proved that they were indeed the boy's parents, the Cypriot foreign ministry assisted in getting him to the island.

"All the parents keep saying is "Thank you! Thank you!"" Ms Constantinou said.

"As a grandmother of a two-year-old myself, there's nothing I wouldn't do to get that boy back to his parents," she added.

Source: BBCnews