‘Unable to do anything’: Lebanese stuck in S’pore after Dubai airspace closure, worries for family
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Mr Mohammad Firikh, a Lebanese based in Dubai, was in Singapore for a work trip when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran, triggering conflict in the Middle East.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF MR MOHAMMAD FIRIKH
Follow our live coverage here.
SINGAPORE - Mr Mohammad Firikh was at the lobby of Lyf Funan on March 1, checking the Emirates mobile app for updates on his flight back to Dubai when he saw that it had been cancelled.
The 31-year-old Lebanese, a senior sales manager at mobile advertising platform Nativex, arrived in Singapore to attend his company’s annual business meeting on Feb 23.
On Feb 28, several Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates, closed their airspaces following the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran, throwing global travel into chaos.
The strikes on Iran prompted Tehran to retaliate by striking the US’ Gulf allies in the region. Several major airports in Dubai and Doha, and some luxury residences, were hit.
Mr Mohammad’s flight, which had been set to depart at 9pm on March 1, was among those cancelled.
He told The Straits Times: “I was disappointed as I really wanted to be close to my wife during this challenging time.”
His wife had remained in Dubai, where the couple have been based for the past four years. The only comfort for him so far is that she is far from the attacks.
That and the fact that residents in Dubai are receiving frequent updates from the UAE government, he added.
“Aside from the scary sounds, it has been very safe in Dubai so far,” he said. “As soon as I heard there were attacks on the UAE, I gave (my wife) a call to check on her and see if she was safe.”
Coming from strife-torn Lebanon has also played its part.
“Being Lebanese, we have been exposed to a lot of conflict in the past two decades, and that has left some sort of hidden trauma within us.”
Mr Mohammad managed to get a refund for his cancelled flight and is monitoring the news for announcements of the reopening of the airspace, which would allow him to book a new return flight.
While he has managed to book another hotel room and is continuing his work from Singapore, his worries are not over.
His parents, sister and her four children are still in Lebanon, as well as members of his extended family.
Mr Mohammad said his family – who live far from the areas affected by conflict – is safe for now, but expressed concern as the situation in the country is “escalating at an alarming rate”.
The US-Israeli war against Iran has expanded into Lebanon, with news agency Reuters reporting on March 2 that Israel had attacked Lebanon in response to strikes by the armed militant group Hezbollah, who are backed by Iran.
French news agency AFP reported that the US Embassy in Lebanon renewed its call for citizens to leave Lebanon immediately on March 2.
Mr Mohammad cannot wait to get home.
“Being in Dubai next to friends and loved ones in this time of unrest is better than being worried and unable to do anything,” he said.
Despite his worry about his family, Mr Mohammad said he is grateful for the support and care of his company and colleagues.
“They have been very kind and welcoming throughout my trip,” he said of his colleagues. “Especially after the sad events started happening.”
