Slow progress in surgery of Siamese twins

The first stage of a craniotomy, or opening up the twins' combined skulls, took longer than expected because the bone where twins Laleh and Ladan Bijani are joined was thick and compact.

The next stage of the operation -- severing blood vessels and veins around the women's two brains -- may take the team of five neurosurgeons up to 10 hours to complete.

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Doctors said the 29-year-old twins were stable and the operation was proceeding well after the surgeons removed a strip of bone from the front of the skull to the back to expose the brains.

"Up till now, the twins have taken to the procedure quite well. They are stable," said Dr Prem Kumar Nair, a spokesman for Raffles Hospital, where the operation is under way.

Scores of family and friends are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the dangerous surgery, including the twins' elderly parents in Iran and friends in Singapore.

Supporters have been holding a prayer vigil at the hospital since surgery began Sunday.