Two Expatriates Killed in Drone Attack in Saudi Arabia as Gulf Security Concerns Grow
Two expatriates have been killed in a drone attack in Saudi Arabia. While the deaths were reported, the names, identities and home areas of those killed were not available in the information received by the time this report was written.
Large numbers of people from Sylhet Division and across Bangladesh work in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. Any attack or loss of life there therefore causes deep anxiety among families back home, and expatriate families are anxiously waiting to learn the identities of those killed in this incident.
The attack comes at a time when the regional security situation around Saudi Arabia has heated up again. The United States Department of State says Iran-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a social media post on Wednesday that Houthi attacks have targeted civilian airports and other critical infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.
Underlining the seriousness of the situation, the United States on the same day ordered the departure of non-emergency government employees and their family members from its mission in Saudi Arabia. Pigott said the safety and security of department personnel and their families remain the highest priority.
The US embassy in Riyadh also issued a security alert on Wednesday about possible further Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia after recent deadly strikes, including an attack on Riyadh's airport.
The embassy and a CIA station hosted there came under drone attack in early March, as Iran began launching attacks across the region, according to the report.
Four US officials told the Reuters news agency that US missions in other Gulf states would also be ordering family members to leave. Pigott, however, said an earlier media report about US plans for the departure of personnel and family members at embassies across the Gulf was inaccurate.
The latest withdrawals follow an escalation of fighting in Yemen, opening another front in the regional conflict, which has snarled global energy trade and hurt Gulf economies, the report said.
In this situation, fresh questions have been raised about the safety of expatriates working in Saudi Arabia. Once the identities of the two expatriates killed in the drone attack and the details of the incident are confirmed, it will be easier for news to reach their families.
For now, all eyes are on confirming the identities of those killed. Attention is also on whether Houthi attacks increase further and whether any new alert is issued for expatriates living in the Gulf states.
