Dubai, Oct 22 (PTI): An Indian national was killed and three others injured in two separate attacks targeting a major airport and an oil field in Saudi Arabia, officials said on Thursday, amid a spate of missile and drone strikes by Yemen’s Houthis on key infrastructure in the Gulf country.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said that Saudi authorities have informed it about the casualties in the attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia on the Persian Gulf near Bahrain and Qatar on Wednesday night.
It said that one Indian national was earlier injured in an attack at Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oilfield on Wednesday and added that the mission was in touch with Saudi authorities for further details.
“One Indian national was among two people who unfortunately lost their lives in the attack on Dammam airport yesterday night and two Indian nationals were injured,” the embassy said in a social media post on Thursday.
“We are ascertaining 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,” it added.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said that one Saudi citizen and an Indian resident were killed in the attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. The same airport was previously targeted on October 11.
It said that eight people, including two Indians, were injured in the attack. The injured also included Bangladeshi and Nepalese nationals. “Their injuries range from minor to critical, and they are receiving the necessary medical care at several hospitals,” it added.
“GACA continues to work, in coordination with the relevant authorities, to complete the damage assessment, verify the safety of the facilities, and take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers and personnel and maintain the security and safety of the kingdom’s civil aviation system,” it said.
It added that airport operations have resumed and air traffic has returned to normal. The authorities have not specified whether the attack on the airport involved a drone or a missile.
The attack comes amid escalating drone and missile strikes targeting Saudi Arabia’s airports, energy installations and other critical infrastructure, with Iran-backed Houthis having been involved in a prolonged campaign against the country.
However, the Saudi authorities have not publicly identified those responsible for the Dammam airport attack.
The latest casualties follow a drone attack targeting the Shaybah oilfield on Wednesday, in which an Indian national was injured.
The Indian mission, in a social media post on late Wednesday night, said it would provide all necessary assistance to the injured Indian national.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Energy, air defences intercepted the drone, but falling shrapnel killed two residents, a Filipino and a Nepali national, and injured two others, including the Indian. The other injured person was a Pakistani.
“Air defences thwarted an attempt to target the Shaybah field, with two deaths and two injuries among residents resulting from shrapnel falling after the interception,” it said in a statement.
The Shaybah incident caused a fire in a contractor’s vehicle outside the facility’s perimeter, but oilfield operations were not affected, according to Saudi authorities.
Shaybah is a major oilfield operated by state-owned Saudi Aramco in the Rub’ al-Khali desert in southeastern Saudi Arabia, near the border with the United Arab Emirates.
The field is a significant part of the kingdom’s oil production infrastructure. Saudi authorities have not publicly identified the party responsible for the attempted attack.
The Houthis, who control large parts of northern Yemen, have been engaged in a long-running conflict with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition.
Earlier this month, an Indian national was killed and several others injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
India has strongly condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting civilian facilities and infrastructure, and called for an immediate end to the hostilities.
The Indian Embassy has issued advisories urging Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to remain alert, follow instructions issued by local authorities and take shelter indoors during aerial attacks.
It has also cautioned them against filming or sharing images and videos of drone or missile interceptions and their impact sites, warning of possible legal consequences under Saudi law.
Saudi Arabia is home to approximately 2.74 million Indian nationals, who work across various sectors and form a significant link between the two countries.
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