ANKARA

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday met Siamese twins who were separated surgically two years after their birth.

A reception was held for them in the presidential palace.

First lady Emine Erdogan, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, parents Fatma and Omer Evrensel, and Noor ul Owase Jeelani, their UK-based surgeon also attended the event.

Derman and Yigit Evrensel were born on June 22, 2018, with conjoined skulls.

They were treated in different hospitals in Turkey's cosmopolitan cities of Antalya and Istanbul but to no avail.

It was not until Emine Erdogan met them in the hospital, they were sent to the UK.

Three surgeries were performed on them by a team of senior surgeons led by the expert in the field, Jeelani.

They returned to Turkey this summer after successful surgeries.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk