Five Indians and seven Nepalis were injured in the emirate of Abu Dhabi on Friday due to falling debris after an attack was intercepted, according to the government’s media office amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Abu Dhabi Media Office reached out to X and said the incident in the Ajban area “resulted in minor to moderate injuries to 6 individuals of Nepali nationality and 5 individuals of Indian nationality and one serious injury to a person of Nepali nationality”.
He added: “The public is reminded to obtain information only from official sources and avoid spreading rumors or unverified information.”
Indian citizens were earlier injured in the UAE amid the conflict
An Indian national was also injured on Wednesday after being hit by shrapnel from a drone intercepted by air defense systems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), local authorities said. The incident occurred near the Umm Al Thuoob industrial area in Umm Al Qaiwain, one of the country’s seven emirates, according to state news agency WAM.
The Umm Al Qaiwain government media office said authorities were responding to an incident near a facility in an industrial area where injuries were caused by falling debris from a captured drone. “The incident led to the injury of one Indian citizen,” the agency quoted the authority as saying.
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Early last week, five Indians were injured in the United Arab Emirates after debris fell near Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) when a ballistic missile was intercepted by the country’s air defense system, local media reported on Saturday.
Earlier on Thursday, an Indian national was among two people killed in the United Arab Emirates when debris from intercepted missiles fell on a street, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Authority.
Abu Dhabi suspends operations at major gas facility after attack
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi halted operations at its largest natural gas processing facility following a fire, the second shutdown since the Middle East conflict began, according to Bloomberg.
According to the Abu Dhabi Media Authority, the Abyssinian gas facility was disconnected after debris from the intercepted attack fell into the area, triggering the incident. The site, operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., is the UAE’s main hub for gathering and processing gas from the emirate’s fields and supplying it for domestic use.
Habshan also includes oil facilities and serves as the starting point for Adnoc’s pipeline to Fujairah, a key port located outside the Strait of Hormuz.
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Hours earlier, Kuwait’s Mina Al Ahmadi oil refinery was also hit, with active units catching fire at the time. Authorities added that a power plant and water desalination plant were targeted early Friday morning, resulting in damage to several components.
Iranian nationals are undergoing strict new restrictions on entering the UAE
According to the Dubai-based airline, Iranian nationals are largely barred from entering the UAE, with only limited exceptions, while travel agencies have reported an increase in visa refusals for Iranians since the start of the Middle East conflict.
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The measures point to deteriorating relations between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, after more than a month of campaigning in the Gulf of Tehran, which has hit the Emirates more than any other country.
Emirates Airlines and flydubai said on their websites that Iranian citizens are barred from entering the UAE, except for certain categories, including residents with ties to Emirati families and individuals in specific professions.
Since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a large-scale joint offensive against Iran, the conflict has spread across the Persian Gulf region following Iranian retaliatory strikes.
(With input from agencies)
