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ONE-MONTH-OLD conjoined twins evacuated from a besieged area near Damascus died Wednesday in the capital, despite a campaign to send them abroad for surgery, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said.
“The twins died on Wednesday and they will be buried tomorrow in Damascus in the presence of their mother,” spokeswoman Mona Kourdi told AFP.
The two boys, Moaz and Nawras, were joined at the chest.
They were evacuated on August 12 from Eastern Ghouta, which is besieged by Syrian government forces, after a campaign on Twitter under the hashtag #Evacuatethetwins.
Born in the rebel-held district of Hammuriyeh, the twins were admitted to hospital in Damascus awaiting their transfer abroad for possible life-saving surgery.
“They suffered from heart and liver defects and… were in a severe state of health,” the Red Crescent said in a statement.
Katoub Mohamad of the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) charity accused the Syrian authorities of delaying their transfer.
“We received several offers from hospitals and physicians… to help the twins… but the problem was the transfer,” Mohamad told AFP from Turkey.
“The foreign ministry did not authorise the babies to travel without passports, while SAMS was informed by the State Department that the US was ready to receive them without documents,” he said.
“The whole world couldn’t have the permission to evacuate them,” Mohamad added on Twitter.
Health condition
Kourdi denied this, saying “the delay was due to their health condition”.
The Red Crescent said the passports had been delivered to those caring for them and “that official approval was secured after an Italian hospital had agreed to receive them.”
Syria’s five-year conflict has taken a heavy toll on children, with thousands living in besieged areas subject to air strikes and shortages of food and other essentials.
Last week, the image of four-year-old Omran covered in blood and dust went viral online after his rescue from a bombed-out building, symbolising the fate of children in the devastating war.
Last week, Katoub told the Wall Street Journal he was worried the required transfer abroad was being delayed because the offers treatment had come from the US and Saudi Arabia – two staunch opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
On Monday night, Katoub tweeted: “Nawras & Moaz will be one month old, still waiting for ridiculous process of evacuation.” The boys died less than 48 hours later.”
- © AFP, 2016. With reporting from Darragh Peter Murphy.
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Poor little pets. It’s an awful world.
It can be made better by showing some solidarity, i guess.
This is just not right. How does anyone go to sleep knowing they’re causing so much suffering?
They’re called psychopaths and there is lots of them.
I know. Time after time we hear people saying that refugees and families should be left drown in the med rather than come here. I don’t understand how they can be so harsh.
It’s a civil war in Syria sunni vs Shia don’t presume guilt when it’s not our doing. Plus Syria isn’t in the Mediterranean it’s Africans illegally crossing to Europe risking there own lives with the hope when they arrive Europeans will support them
There is no civil war in Syria. This was a planned war by the US and Israel!
Terrible tragedy. Poor babies.
This is unfortunately the norm. Genuine refugees are dying in droves while welfare tourists and fake refugees muddy the water, taking up spaces in €urope for the genuine cases like these.
Would an asteroid thay wiped us off the face of the earth be tragic or a cleansing? I despair. Rip
I can guarantee one thing – mother Earth will get along just fine after humans are gone, however it happens. We’re only a tiny blip in the history of this planet as it moves through the cosmos.
How many people died in trolleys in A&E’s in Ireland last night??? How many died while being stuck on waiting lists ???
I’ve been on those trollies and so have family members of mine but there can be no comparison to these peoples plight. We are incredibly lucky to live in this society despite its many failings to live up to our first class expectations. That woman probably would have given her life for her boys to be on a trolley in one of the a&e’s you refer to. Your comment is insular like so much of Irish journalism and commentary. Try to have perspective, it might even make you a happier person..
Well said Claire
So following that logic there is no beds and everyone admitted is on trollies so we should import more people to fill up the available trollies and I suppose irish citizens should wait around the corner or down the street out of sight.
Very sad situation, such a preventable tragedy which required only a little humanity . It seems good old Bashir and his merry men were in such a rush to issue the necessary documents.
And if the ‘West’ wasnt so blind to the plight of displaced persons from Syrian and other conflict areas
Maybe if you read the article before you posted your post might make better sense. It is clear that 2 offers were made. So it has nothing to do with what you contend. It was simply foot dragging by Bashir and his cronies who of course were moved by the plight of 2 complepinnocent Syrian citizens.
Another 2 victims of the regime change machine in the interest of commercial opportunities
Disgraceful
This is why I agree with Juncker and his borders statement, they really are the worst thing ever invented by humans. Even worse than religion.
Nothing is worse than religion.
How many people have you taken in or plan to take in Lisa , or is it someone else’s problem?
You don’t like borders, fair enough. Would you leave your door open at night when you go to bed? Ever hear of security?
You can have open borders or you can have a social welfare system, you can’t have both.
Paddy, I think it’s commentary on how horrific this situation is. Not on whether or not they’d be vacated to Ireland. Poor little mites and their heartbroken parents.
How is this anything to do with us they hardly wanted to come to one of our hospitals
That was nice of assad wasn’t it? Those poor little angels born into a horrible environment presided over by this villian.They are in a safe place now.God help the poor parents Heartbreak story.
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