Five Indian nationals were among 12 people wounded by debris following the interception of projectiles by air defence systems at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday, with authorities saying they sustained minor to moderate injuries.
The incident occurred in the Ajban area of Abu Dhabi following what was described by the Abu Dhabi Media Office, or the local government’s media arm, as a “successful interception by air defence systems”. A readout said authorities confirmed the incident resulted in “minor to moderate injuries” to five Indian nationals and six Nepali nationals. Another Nepali citizen sustained a major injury, the readout said.
There was no official word from the Indian side on the incident. The UAE accounts for almost four million of the 10 million Indians living in West Asian states.
Since Israel and the US’s military strikes on Iran on February 28 triggered the West Asian conflict, eight Indians have been killed and dozens more injured in countries across the region.
An Indian national died in an Iranian attack on a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait on March 29, while another Indian was killed by debris from the interception of a missile in Abu Dhabi on March 26.
An Indian national was killed in missile and drone attacks on the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on March 18, and two Indians died in an attack on an industrial area in Oman on March 13. Three seafarers died in attacks on merchant vessels in the early days of the conflict, while one Indian citizen has been reported missing.
There is no official tally of injured Indians, and officials have said dozens, including workers and sailors, have been injured in attacks in several Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Iraq.
The Indian government, in its outreach to the leadership of West Asian states, has focused on the safety and security of the 10 million Indians living in the region.
