Kathmandu/siraha, March 20 -- Escalating tensions in the Gulf region, triggered by the ongoing standoff involving the US-Israeli coalition and Iran, have disrupted the repatriation of the bodies of Nepali migrant workers who died in the region. These deaths were not related to the ongoing conflict, according to officials.

A total of 22 bodies remain stranded-eight in the United Arab Emirates and seven each in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia-despite the Nepali embassies in those countries already granting permission for their repatriation.

One such case is that of Ramesh Kumar Mochi of Shivanagar in ward 1 of Sukhipur Municipality in Siraha, who died in Kuwait on March 5. His last contact with his family back home was on the night of March 4, ju...