Kuwaitis treat injured Iraqi boy

KUWAIT CITY -- A 12-year-old boy who lost his arms in a missile explosion and became a symbol of Iraqi war suffering arrived Wednesday at a hospital in Kuwait City.

Ali Ismaeel Abbas was carried off an ambulance on a stretcher after being airlifted from Baghdad. Wearing a green shower cap, he blinked at flashing cameras before being taken into the Saud A. Albabtain Center for Burns and Plastic Surgery.

Ali suffered severe burns and lost his arms when a missile struck his home in Baghdad, killing his father, brother and pregnant mother. It was unclear who fired the missile, but Baghdad was under heavy American bombardment when the family was hit.

Doctors gave the boy a quick evaluation before taking him into surgery. He likely faces a considerable amount of skin grafting.

Ali's plight has attracted worldwide attention as a symbol of Iraqi suffering during the U.S.-led campaign to oust Saddam Hussein.

Recovery from such a severe burn often takes about a year, and the cost runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Several charities from around the world have offered to help with the expenses for the treatment and prostheses.