Bombing victim well enough for a Shish Kebab

Baghdad bombing victim Ali Ismaeel Abbas was today feeling well enough to request one of his favourite dishes – a spicy shish kebab.

The 12-year-old orphan asked for a special serving of grilled lamb as he recovered from his first round of life-saving surgery.

Ali lost both arms and suffered horrific burns after an allied bombing raid on the Iraqi capital that also killed his parents and most of his family.

Plastic surgeon Dr Imad Najada at the Saud A Albabtain Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery in Kuwait City said the seriously-ill youngster was doing well after an operation yesterday.

“He’s still stable. He’s had a blood transfusion and he’s in good shape. He’s awake and speaking.

“He asked to have Iraqi food – a shish kebab. People from the Ministry of Health went to get it for him from the restaurant outside the hospital.

“He’s eating now and we want to build him up and increase his calories and his protein intake.”

Dr Najada said he did not yet know whether Ali had been able to polish off all of the culinary treat.

Staff at the clinic are also hoping to find a television set for his hospital room to keep him entertained over the coming weeks as he continues his lengthy treatment.

“We’re trying to provide him with a TV. He said for 20 days he hasn’t watched TV,” Dr Najada.

Ali was airlifted out of Baghdad to Kuwait City with his uncle after appeals from Iraqi medics.

His plight touched millions of people around the world and thousands of pounds have been raised for his care.

Tony Blair and US President George W Bush were warned that Ali would not survive if he stayed in a Baghdad hospital which was short on drugs and clean water.

In yesterday’s operation, septicaemia-infected tissue was cut away from his wounds and a layer of human skin, from the clinic’s skin bank, was laid across his burns to form a temporary cover.

He is expected to undergo further surgery in a few days which will involve grafting skin from his own body over his burns.