Indian injured in attack on Saudi airport dies, total West Asia toll now 24

The Indian embassy in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, announced the death of the Indian man on social media on Wednesday.

An Indian national wounded in a Houthi attack on the airport in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh last month has succumbed to his injuries, taking the total number of citizens killed since the start of the West Asia conflict in February to 24.

The Indian embassy in the Saudi capital announced the death of the Indian man on social media on Wednesday.

"With a heavy heart, we share that another Indian national, critically injured in the 10 October attack on Riyadh airport, has passed away in the ICU," it said without giving further details.

Indian authorities are working with airlines and tour operators to facilitate the early return of hundreds of Indian pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia because of the suspension of flights by Indian carriers following a recent escalation of hostilities.

New Delhi has repeatedly called for an end to the targeting of civilians, civil infrastructure and merchant vessels in West Asia. The Indian side has also expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia while condemning continued attacks by Houthi rebels on civil infrastructure and backing the early restoration of peace and normalcy in West Asia.

Other Indians killed in Saudi

One Indian was killed, and 10 more were injured in the October 10 attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The attack was part of the targeting of Saudi infrastructure by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels amid the escalation of the conflict between the rebels and the Saudi-backed government of Yemen.

Another attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on October 21 killed an Indian and injured two more.

The Indian embassy said it had been by the side of the injured man's family "throughout, and we remain with them now". It also conveyed condolences to the man's family and friends.

"We will extend all possible assistance to bring his mortal remains home to India or funeral in Riyadh as per the wishes of the family," the embassy said.

Seafarers have made up the majority of the Indians killed in the region. Fifteen seafarers are among the 24 Indians killed so far in the West Asia conflict, which was triggered by attacks on Iran by the US and Israel in February.

On Monday, an Indian seafarer died when a projectile off the coast of Oman struck an Indian-flagged cargo vessel. Oman's Coast Guard rescued 13 more Indian seafarers aboard the dhow MSV Al Jusufi.

West Asia is home to more than 10 million Indians, the majority of whom are blue-collar workers, including employees of oil fields and infrastructure facilities such as airports. There are also about 18,000 Indian seafarers on board vessels in the region.

Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More