The situation in the Middle East remains tense: airports in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait have partially or completely suspended service for most flights. As for Kyrgyzstan, four airlines have suspended flights in this direction today.
As a result, tourists from many countries around the world have become hostages of the situation. They cannot fly home, and complaints have emerged that people are being evicted from hotels.
Kaktus.media investigated the current situation with citizens of our country who are in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Military Operation of Israel and the US Against Iran
Israel and the United States struck Tehran and other locations in Iran early on February 28. Donald Trump stated his intention to destroy the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. He called on the Iranian army to lay down arms and the country’s residents to ‘take their fate into their own hands’.
In response, Iran struck Israeli territory and other Middle Eastern countries. The US Central Command on February 28 stated that damage to US facilities in the Middle East from Iranian strikes was ‘minimal and did not affect operations.’ However, on March 1, it reported that three US servicemen were killed and five seriously injured as a result.
On the second day of the Israeli-American military operation, the Iranian side confirmed the death of the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking security officials, including Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and IRGC Commander Mohammad Pakpour, as a result of the strikes.
Mass Cancellation of Flights to the Middle East
On the evening of February 28, a drone struck Kuwait International Airport. As a result, several port employees were injured. Kuwait Airways canceled all its flights amid the escalation in the region.
Flights to El Kuwait, Dubai, Sharjah, and Jeddah have been temporarily canceled at Manas International Airport.
As clarified by the airport, the flight cancellations are due to the need to ensure flight safety and changes in airline routes.
Passengers of canceled flights are advised to contact airlines or the place of ticket purchase for additional information, as well as for refunds or rescheduling.
All Tourists in Hotels, No One is Being Evicted
Today, Kyrgyzstani citizens who are in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and purchased vouchers through tour operators remain in hotels. Kaktus.media was informed of this by Ermek Myrzabekov, Chairman of the Board of the Tourism Association of Kyrgyzstan.
He also noted that a precise list of tourists remaining in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is currently being formed jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the tourism department. According to preliminary data, there are more than 400 such citizens.
“We cannot name the exact number of tourists now because there are more than 500 tour firms operating in this direction. Not all tour firms are members of our association, so collecting an exact figure is very difficult. But note that this list does not include students or those working in Arab countries. It also does not account for citizens traveling independently. Today we must provide the final list to state agencies. The state is considering the possibility of bringing our citizens home,” Myrzabekov noted.
At the same time, the head of the Tourism Association emphasized that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are very popular travel destinations for Kyrgyzstani citizens. But there are not as many tourists now as there were in December, when it was peak season.
> We would like the Tourism Association to appeal to our citizens not to worry. No tourists have been abandoned. No matter what force majeure circumstances occur, we have never abandoned our tourists.
“There’s no need to worry about tourists. Tour operators remain in contact with them. If difficulties arise, contact the tour operator from whom the vouchers were purchased. They will definitely help. It will be hard for those who went there independently because no one knows about them – neither tour firms nor consuls,” Myrzabekov concluded.
Member of the Board of the Tourism Association of Kyrgyzstan Valeria Bobrova also emphasized that everything is operating on the resorts, there are no restrictions. Kyrgyzstani tourists are not being evicted from hotels. Tour firms remain in contact with tourists.
“There’s one more point regarding cruises in the Persian Gulf. They are officially canceled, but all cruisers are on the liner. They are provided with full service and meals,” Bobrova emphasized.
What the Authorities Say
The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan reported that as of March 2, 2026, about 22 thousand Kyrgyzstani citizens are in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
– About 100 Kyrgyzstani citizens are in Israel, mostly women with dual citizenship.
– About 10 thousand Kyrgyzstani citizens are in the UAE.
– About 800 people in Kuwait and Bahrain, mostly permanent residents.
– About 6 thousand people in Saudi Arabia performing pilgrimage.
No requests for urgent evacuation have been received from them.
According to MFA representatives, the situation in the Gulf countries is currently stable, no attacks or targeted strikes on tourist cities are recorded, and the footage circulating on the internet is counter-strike operations.
“The issue of possible evacuation of citizens is currently being worked out if the situation becomes critical. At the moment, there is no threat to safety or need for evacuation. There is no information about injured citizens,” the department said.
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