New Delhi: Saudi authorities on Thursday informed the Indian embassy in Riyadh that an Indian national was among two people killed in Wednesday’s attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The mission said it was verifying further details and contacting the affected families.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of the deceased and we wish speedy recovery of the injured,” the embassy said.
The kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) initially reported one death and eight injuries further the attack. In a latest statement on Thursday, it revised the death toll to two, identifying the deceased as one Saudi citizen and one Indian resident. The eight injured includes two Indians, two Yemenis, two Bangladeshis, one Nepalese national and one Saudi citizen, with injuries ranging from minor to critical.
Saudi authority said the injured were receiving medical treatment, The attack caused damage to airport property, the extent of which was still being examined. The authority later confirmed that airport operations had resumed and air traffic had returned to normal.
This comes against the backdrop of a larger trend of increased strikes on key infrastructures in Saudi Arabia, including its airports. In the past few days, Saudi Arabia has been under attack for its aviation infrastructures, creating fears about the safety of civilian infrastructures and air travel.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been among the main targets. Attacks there earlier in October caused civilian casualties and injuries, while operations were suspended amid security concerns.
The Houthis, an Iran-aligned armed group based in Yemen, have claimed responsibility for some of the recent attacks on Saudi aviation and energy infrastructure. However, the Saudi civil aviation authority’s statements on Wednesday’s Dammam incident did not identify those responsible.
The attacks come against the backdrop of renewed fighting in Yemen and escalating regional tensions. The Houthis have threatened Saudi targets in connection with the conflict, while strikes and counterstrikes have increased the risks to airports, energy facilities and other civilian infrastructure across the region.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday also strongly condemned the continued attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The ministry said the attacks had resulted in civilian deaths and injuries and called for an immediate end to strikes on civilian and critical infrastructure.
The MEA also said that one Indian national was injured in the attack on Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field, while one Indian national was killed and two others were injured in the Dammam airport attack. The ministry conveyed its condolences to the bereaved family and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
It said the Indian embassy in Riyadh was in contact with Saudi authorities and would provide all possible assistance. India also expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty and called for peace and normalcy to return to the region.
Earlier, the Indian embassy in Riyadh had advised Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to exercise caution, follow instructions issued by local authorities and move to a safe place inside a building, away from windows, in the event of an aerial attack, RNA Media reported. The embassy also cautioned Indians against filming or sharing photographs and videos related to attacks and interception efforts, warning that doing so could have legal consequences under local rules.