Malaysia, Indonesia Warn Pilgrims After Saudi Strikes — SkimNews
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- Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan advised citizens to postpone Umrah pilgrimages to Mecca and Madinah, citing a Houthi missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Oct 10 that killed 13 and injured more than 300.
- A subsequent Houthi attack on Sunday killed one and injured about a dozen; Malaysia's foreign ministry confirmed no Malaysians were among the casualties at either King Khalid or King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
- Hasan stressed that no security incidents had been reported in Mecca itself but said the Riyadh strike nonetheless raised enough concern to warrant the postponement advisory.
- Indonesia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah urged Indonesian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to remain vigilant, avoid vulnerable locations, and comply with local authority directives.
- Spokesperson Ichsan Marsha cautioned against relying on unverified information that could cause unnecessary alarm, and advised pilgrims preparing to depart to coordinate with travel operators on flight schedules and any changes to travel requirements.
Why it matters: Both countries issued advisories affecting Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, directly curbing that travel. The fact that Houthi missiles struck Riyadh's main international airport — deep inside the kingdom, far from Yemen's border — shows the rebels' reach now extends far beyond the southwestern frontier.
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