As a result, many tourists from different countries find themselves in a difficult situation, unable to return home, and reports are coming in about people being evicted from hotels.
Kaktus.media investigated the situation of Kyrgyz citizens in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Beginning of the military operation by Israel and the USA against Iran
On the morning of February 28, Israel and the USA struck Tehran and other targets in Iran. Donald Trump announced the intention to destroy the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic, calling on the Iranian army to surrender their weapons and citizens to "take their fate into their own hands."In response, Iran attacked territories of Israel and other countries in the region. As of February 28, the US Central Command reported that the damage from Iranian strikes to American facilities was minimal and did not affect operations. However, on March 1, it became known that three American soldiers were killed and five were seriously injured as a result of the attacks.
On the second day of the military operation, the Iranian side confirmed that the supreme leader of the country, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the strikes, along with several high-ranking military officials, including Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mohammad Pakpour.
Mass flight cancellations in the Middle East
On the evening of February 28, a drone attacked Kuwait International Airport, injuring several staff members. Kuwait Airways suspended all flights due to the escalation of the situation.According to the airport, the flight cancellations are related to the need for security and changes in airline routes.
Passengers of canceled flights are advised to contact airlines or ticket purchase locations for further information and to resolve issues regarding refunds or rescheduling flights.
Tourists remain in hotels
Currently, Kyrgyz citizens in the UAE and Saudi Arabia who purchased packages through tour operators are staying in their hotels. This was confirmed by the chairman of the Kyrgyz Tourism Association, Ermek Myrzabekov.He added that a list of tourists currently in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is being compiled in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the tourism department. According to preliminary data, there are more than 400 such citizens.
“It is difficult to specify the exact number of tourists, as more than 500 travel agencies operate in this direction, and not all of them are part of our association. Therefore, gathering accurate data is challenging. Please note that this list does not include students and those working in Arab countries, nor does it account for independently traveling citizens. We are obliged to provide a final list to government authorities. The possibility of repatriating our citizens is being considered,” Myrzabekov noted.
The head of the association emphasized that the UAE and Saudi Arabia remain popular destinations for Kyrgyz citizens; however, there are currently fewer tourists than in December when the season peaked.
The Tourism Association urges citizens not to worry: tourists are not left without support. We have never abandoned our tourists in difficult situations.He further added that tourists should not be concerned. Tour operators continue to maintain contact with them. In case of difficulties, it is necessary to contact the tour operators from whom the packages were purchased. It will be more difficult for those who traveled independently, as there is no information about them with travel agencies or consuls,” Myrzabekov concluded.
Board member of the Kyrgyz Tourism Association, Valeria Bobrova, confirmed that everything is functioning without restrictions at the resorts, and tourists from Kyrgyzstan are not being evicted from hotels. Travel agencies continue to maintain contact with tourists.
“Another important point concerns cruises in the Persian Gulf. They have been officially canceled; however, all cruisers remain on the ships and receive full service and meals,” Bobrova added.
Information from the authorities
As of March 2, the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan reported that about 22,000 citizens of our country are in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.- About 100 Kyrgyz citizens are in Israel, most of whom are women with dual citizenship.
- Approximately 10,000 citizens of Kyrgyzstan are in the UAE.
- In Kuwait and Bahrain, there are about 800 people, mostly citizens residing there permanently.
- In Saudi Arabia, there are about 6,000 people on pilgrimage.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the situation in the Gulf countries is currently stable, no attacks on tourist cities are being recorded, and the footage appearing online is related to counter-strike operations.
“We are considering the possibility of evacuating citizens if the situation becomes critical. At the moment, there is no security threat, and there is also no information about injured citizens,” the department reported.
