An Indian national was killed in missile and drone attacks on the Saudi Arabian capital, the external affairs ministry said on Friday, with the total number of Indian deaths in the West Asia conflict rising to six even as New Delhi continue to take steps to ensure the security of 10 million citizens living across the region. FILE PHOTO: Clouds move over the Riyadh skyline. (REUTERS)
The Indian national died in Riyadh on Wednesday, the first Indian fatality reported in Saudi Arabia. Two Indians were killed in an attack on an industrial area in Oman on February 13, and three seafarers died in attacks on merchant vessels in the days of the conflict, while one more citizen was reported missing.
“Late [on Thursday] night, we received information regarding the tragic demise of an Indian national during an attack in Riyadh on March 18. We express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” Aseem Mahajan, secretary (Gulf) in the external affairs ministry, told a media briefing.
The Indian embassy in Riyadh is in touch with his family and is coordinating with local authorities for the early return of the body, Mahajan said. Further details were not available and people familiar with the matter said the Indian was killed during Iran’s missile and drone strikes on Riyadh.
Dozens of Indians, including workers and seafarers, have been injured in attacks in several Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman and Iraq. The Indian government has focused on the safety and security of 10 million Indian nationals living in West Asian countries during its outreach to the leadership of these states in recent days.
Mahajan said 15 Indian crew members of the US-owned oil tanker Safesea Vishnu, which was recently attacked near Basra, Iraq, were set to return to the country via Saudi Arabia. An Indian seafarer of the same vessel was killed, and Mahajan said steps are being taken to transport his body to the country.
A total of 300,000 people have returned to India from West Asia since the conflict began on February 28. Airlines in the UAE operated 90 flights to India on Friday, and there were also flights from Oman and Saudi Arabia. With Qatar’s airspace partially open, Qatar Airways operated 10 non-scheduled commercial flights, while Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways operated its first special non-scheduled commercial flight to India from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Qaisumah international airport on Friday.
Indian officials have helped Indians in Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq, where airspace remains closed, cross over to Saudi Arabia to board flights. They have also helped Indian nationals in Israel enter Jordan via the land border to board flights, while Indians in Iran have crossed into Armenia and Azerbaijan to board flights.
A group of 24 seafarers, including 16 from the merchant vessel MKD Vyom and eight from the oil tanker Skylight, have travelled back to India from Oman.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a total of 913 Indians have crossed into Armenia and Azerbaijan from Iran. Many of them have already made their way back home on commercial flights.