Orphan Ali leaves intensive care

Brave Iraqi orphan Ali Ismaeel Abbas, who lost both his arms in an allied bombing raid, has left intensive care, his surgeon said tonight.

The 12-year-old has been moved to a general ward after a series of life-saving operations.

He was severely injured and burned in an attack on Baghdad which killed his parents and most of his family,

Dr Imad Najada, of the Saud A Albabtain Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery in Kuwait City, said Ali was feeling positive and had been walking around today after changing wards.

“He’s doing fine. He walked a short distance and he is much better. He has had lots of visits from the other Iraqi children here,” he said.

Ali, who has had numerous skin grafts, was one of a number of injured youngsters airlifted from war-torn Iraq for surgery in Kuwait.

Footage on ITV News tonight showed the boy staring intently at an artificial limb as doctors explained how it could work.

He quizzed them on whether the potential new arm would be strong enough and said he was now happy and hopeful.