New Delhi, Oct. 8 -- India on Thursday strongly condemned the recent attacks on two airports in Saudi Arabia, calling the targeting of civilian infrastructure "completely unacceptable", and advised Indian nationals in the Gulf kingdom to remain alert amid the deteriorating security situation.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said attacks over the past few days targeted Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, resulting in civilian deaths and injuries.
"India condemns the attacks over the past few days targeting Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries," the MEA said.
The ministry expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished those injured a speedy recovery. It also conveyed solidarity with the people and government of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities said two people were killed and 28 injured in the attack on Abha airport, while one person was killed and eight others wounded in the attack on King Khalid airport. The attacks have been attributed to Houthi militants.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh issued a separate advisory asking Indian nationals to remain vigilant, stay indoors when necessary and follow instructions issued by Saudi authorities through official channels.
The embassy also advised Indians against circulating or reposting videos or news related to the ongoing developments. It said the embassy in Riyadh, the Consulate in Jeddah and their outsourced services through VFS were functioning normally.
The mission said its 24x7 Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra helpline, 8002471234, remained available and urged the Indian community to follow the embassy's official social media handles for updates.
The security situation has also disrupted air services between India and Saudi Arabia. Air India and Air India Express have cancelled flights to and from Riyadh until October 10, while Akasa Air cancelled its Kochi-Riyadh and Riyadh-Kochi services on Thursday.
Air India Express said affected passengers could opt for complimentary rescheduling or a full refund. The airline operates 16 weekly Riyadh flights from Bengaluru, Kochi, Kannur and Kozhikode.
Air India, which operates seven weekly Riyadh flights from Delhi and Mumbai, has also cancelled its services until October 10. The airline said flight AI2243 from Delhi to Riyadh returned to the national capital on Thursday and was subsequently cancelled, with passengers offered full refunds.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.