Syrian infants brought to Turkey for medical treatment

HATAY, Turkey

Two Syrian infants with heart defects arrived in Turkey for medical treatment on Thursday.

Five-month-old Huseyin Al-Hamdi and 25-day-old Mutez Choban were brought to the southern Hatay province from Idlib, northwestern Syria, in a Turkish air ambulance.

After initial check-ups, the babies, who required immediate medical attention, were moved to Istanbul.

According to sources, they will be admitted to the Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital.

Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced. The health infrastructure is nearly non-existent, which has compromised the health status of women and children.

Turkey hosts over three million Syrian refugees, and has focused on their healthcare and education, among other services.

*Writing by Merve Aydogan in Ankara