Over 40 S’porean students in Middle East opt not to come home despite escalating conflict

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SINGAPORE – The sound of wailing air raid sirens fills the air daily amid the escalating Iranian war, but more than 40 Singaporeans studying in Middle East universities are hoping for the best and choosing not to come home.

Fears of not being able to return and hopes of finishing their studies are some of the reasons for them being hesitant about leaving.

One such student is Ms Siti Fatimah Abdul Rashid, 22.

She first moved to Irbid in Jordan in 2023 to pursue a degree in Islamic jurisprudence, a field of Islamic science that studies interpretations of syariah or Islamic law.

“On Feb 28, I was woken up by emergency sirens,” she said in a video interview with The Straits Times.

Ms Siti said this was not the first time she has heard emergency sirens in her neighbourhood.

The emergency siren, sounded by the Irbid government to warn citizens of overhead missiles, is a signal to stay indoors or find shelter.

Once the danger of falling debris from intercepted missiles is believed to have passed, another siren is sounded to signal to residents that it is safe to come out, Ms Siti added.

“This time, it’s much worse than I’ve ever experienced,” she said.

She added that the sirens can be heard three or four times daily. In the past, such as during the Israel-Palestine conflict, sirens were sounded only once a day, or every two days.

Ms Siti said: “I have heard it every day since the first US-Israeli strike on Iran.”

A few days ago, local media reports said debris from intercepted missiles had landed in Irbid, not far from her university dormitory, she added.

On some days, Ms Siti can feel the window in her room shake from the impact of falling debris. “It was scary at the time, but it was over quickly,” she added.

Yet, Ms Siti has decided to remain in Irbid. “The government here is sending out announcements on what is happening, so I know it is safe,” she said.

“My family encouraged me to stay here, seek shelter and focus on my studies.”

She said if the Singapore embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman issues an advisory saying it is best for Singaporeans to return home, she will pack her bags.

“For now, I plan to stay indoors with my friends and keep to normal life as much as possible.”

Other students said they were anxious about not being able to travel back to the Middle East if they leave now.

Mr Zaid Ghazali, 26, booked flights from the Saudi holy city of Madinah to Singapore three months ago to spend Hari Raya Aidilfitri at home with his family.

He boarded the plane on March 6 but, at the back of his mind, there were fears that he would not be able to return to complete his degree in Islamic studies at the Islamic University of Madinah.

Mr Zaid has been in the Middle East region since 2022, when he moved to Jordan to complete his first degree, before heading to Saudi Arabia to pursue a second degree in Islamic jurisprudence.

He added that shops are still open in Madinah, people are still heading to the mall, and there are no signs that traffic on the roads has eased.

But there is still a feeling of uncertainty, and Mr Zaid said he is trying to remain calm. His family in Singapore, he added, has been in constant contact, reminding him to stay indoors and stick closely to instructions from the authorities.

“One problem we have is AI-generated images and videos,” said Mr Zaid, referring to the problem of misinformation online about the US-Iran conflict.

“If my family members back home see this type of AI-generated news, they become more worried,” he said. To allay their fears and help them keep abreast of what is happening in the region, he gives them news he gets from local news sources.

Some students in the Middle East have also switched to attending classes remotely to cut down on the need to go outside.

Mr Jaabir Kamal, 22, said all his lectures at Kuwait University for his Islamic jurisprudence degree have moved to remote learning platforms.

“I’m on the brink of graduating, so I’m not too keen to go back to Singapore right now,” he added.

Mr Jaabir, who went to Kuwait in 2017, said he and his friends help check on one another, making sure everyone is keeping well.

Kuwait shares a border with Iran, and Mr Jaabir said if things get worse – such as the US opting for a land invasion – then he would be forced to get out.

“Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is constantly checking in on all the students in the Middle East, so I will follow its instructions,” he added.

Mr Jaabir said he hoped that diplomatic efforts could bring back peace and stability to the Gulf, a sentiment echoed by Ms Siti and Mr Zaid.

Ms Siti said: “My heart goes out to those directly affected by the attacks, and I hope everything can end peacefully for us to celebrate the Eid festivities peacefully.”

On March 5, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim said he spoke with Singaporean students in the Middle East to check on their welfare, safety and well-being.

In his Facebook post, he said: “I am relieved that our students are safe, with minimal disruptions to their studies.

“We hope all sides choose dialogue over conflict and work towards peace, guided by international law and the UN Charter.”

The US-Iran war has escalated sharply since the first strike on Feb 28. Israeli military chiefs said Tel Aviv is moving to the next phase of the war with Iran after carrying out 2,500 strikes with more than 6,000 weapons.