Iraqi conjoined twins arrive in Riyadh for possible surgery

Omar and Ali are joined at the lower chest and abdomen

Iraqi Siamese twins Omar and Ali arrive in Riyadh to ascertain the possibility of separation surgery. SPA

Upon the directive of Saudi Arabia's King Salman, Iraqi conjoined twins Omar and Ali arrived in Riyadh on Sunday for medical evaluation before a possible operation to separate them.

The twins were accompanied by their parents and visited King Abdulaziz Medical City of the National Guard to ascertain the likelihood of a successful operation to separate them, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The twins are joined at the lower chest and abdomen.

Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah, adviser at the Royal Court, supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief centre and head of the medical team, thanked King Salman and the Crown Prince for “the support and attention they give to the Saudi programme for separating Siamese twins”.

He said this reflected “the wise leadership's generous humanitarian stance towards the needy across the world”. He added that Saudi Arabia's medical capabilities had advanced its position globally when it comes to separating conjoined twins.

King Salman Relief Centre's Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme has completed 50 successful separation surgeries for twins from more than 23 countries across the world.