WARNING: This post contains an image some readers may find disturbing
A desperate effort is underway to get a set of conjoined newborn twins out of Syria in order for the boys to receive life-saving care.
The brothers were born on July 23 in the eastern Ghouta region of the war-torn country. The boys, named Nawras and Moaz, are joined at the chest with protruding intestines.
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The twins’ journey has sparked a Twitter hashtag #EvacuateTheTwins.
The humanitarian organization, Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), tweeted Thursday that Syrian Red Crescent aid workers were having trouble getting through a checkpoint in order to bring the boys to Damascus.
Then on Friday the twins were successfully moved; doctors hope they will eventually reach Beirut, Lebanon for surgery.
SAMS was made aware of the twins earlier in the week, advocacy manager for SAMS Mohamad Katoub told Middle East Eye.
READ MORE: Syrian civil war harming more than 80 per cent of children: UNICEF
It’s extremely difficult to evacuate patients from the area, Katoub said, which is being held by government forces.
He posted the twins’ photo online in an attempt to speed up efforts.
On Friday Katoub tweeted he has received several offers of medical help from abroad.
The boys are travelling with their mother and aunt and are believed to be in good health, the BBC reports.
While the babies still have an uncertain future, they’ve beat the odds so far: roughly 40 to 60 per cent of conjoined twins die in the womb, according to the Mayo Clinic. Less than half of those born alive survive long enough to make it to surgery.