Saudi king orders separation of Syrian Siamese twins

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has instructed the country's health ministry to arrange for surgery to separate a pair of Syrian Siamese twins following a request from their parents.

The two girls, Taqi and Yaqin, are conjoined at the head, but medical reports revealed that they have separate brains, the Arab News reported.

The twins are now aged one year and eight months old.

The relatives of the twins have expressed their gratitude to King Abdullah for his humanitarian gesture.

The two girls' father, Hussein Eissa Al-Khedr, is a farmer and cannot afford the operation.