An Iraqi orphan whose injuries came to symbolise the horror of the Iraq war arrived in Britain yesterday to be fitted with artificial limbs and to undergo extensive physiotherapy.

Ali Abbas, aged 13, who lost both arms in a US bombing raid early in the war, landed at RAF Northolt in a private jet shortly after 3pm. He was accompanied on the flight by his uncle and 14-year-old Ahmed Mohammed Hamza, who lost his left leg below the knee and his right hand in a US bombardment.

The boys will meet experts from the Limbless Association and are expected to be fitted with prosthetic limbs at Queen Mary's Hospital Rehabilitation Centre in Roehampton, south-west London.

"We are honoured that the rehabilitation centre has been chosen by the Kuwaiti government," said Mark Purcell, a spokesman at the hospital. "We have had a relationship with Kuwait for some time and people have come to our centre from there before. One of our technicians is Arab-speaking, which is helpful. We are looking forward to welcoming them and as soon as they arrive with us a team of doctors, prosthetists, therapists and technicians will assess their needs."

Mohammed al-Jarallah, the Kuwaiti Health Minister, who was at Kuwait City airport yesterday morning to see off the boys and their relatives , said that he expected them to be in Britain for about three months initially. "As far as we are concerned, we are committed to treating them until they are fully grown," he said.

Welcoming the arrival of Ali and his uncle to the UK, Caroline Spelman, the shadow International Development Secretary, said: "It is a real honour for our country to have been chosen by the Kuwaiti authorities and the families of Ali and Ahmed for Ali and his friend to receive world-class treatment for their injuries.

"Ali has always said that he wanted to come to the UK and the press attention he has received has enabled him to do this ... He acknowledges that this is not normal and knows his compatriots will not receive the same. He hopes that through him, others may also be able to receive the same high-quality treatment."

Ms Spelman visited Ali twice while he was in hospital in Kuwait, and helped to launch the Limbless Association's Ali Fund in April. Ali lost his father, his pregnant mother, his brother and 13 other family members when an American missile hit their home near Baghdad. The orphan may emigrate to Canada once this stage of his treatment is complete.