Thousands of Indian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia are in a difficult situation due to flight disruptions caused by Houthi attacks on airport infrastructure. The Indian government is collaborating with its embassy in Riyadh and consulate in Jeddah to bring these pilgrims back to the country.
Number of stranded pilgrims
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has announced that around ٣٠٠٠ Umrah pilgrims returned from Saudi Arabia to India last week, while over ١٠٠٠٠ other pilgrims have also returned to their homeland with scheduled flights. However, around ٤٠٠٠ Indian pilgrims are still in Mecca and Medina due to the cancellation of flights by Indian airlines, leaving them in a state of uncertainty.
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Efforts of the Indian government
The Indian government is working to facilitate the return of other Umrah pilgrims as quickly as possible. Additionally, Asaduddin Owaisi, leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, has criticized the dire situation of the pilgrims and the cancellation of their flights. Meanwhile, tensions in the region have intensified due to an increase in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.
In the latest attack, an Indian citizen was killed at Dammam Airport and two others were injured. Additionally, an attack on the Shaybah oil field also resulted in the injury of another Indian citizen. These attacks indicate an escalation of hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis, posing serious risks to pilgrims and other civilian citizens in the region.
The Indian government is also exploring various ways to bring back the stranded pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and is in negotiations with airlines and tourism operators to facilitate their return. This critical situation is particularly concerning for pilgrims who have traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah rituals.
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