Indonesian Embassy Repatriates 30 Indonesian Nationals Stranded in Abu Dhabi Amid Regional Conflict

Up to 30 Indonesian nationals stranded in Abu Dhabi have finally been able to resume their journey home on a repatriation flight facilitated by the Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi (KBRI Abu Dhabi) together with the Indonesian Consulate General in Dubai (KJRI Dubai). The group was flown on Etihad Airways to Singapore along with other international passengers before continuing on to Indonesia via onward routes. The repatriation was prioritised amid operational uncertainty affecting flights in the region. Indonesian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Judha Nugraha, said the repatriation resulted from intensive coordination between Indonesia’s representatives, the airline, and authorities in the UAE. He added that the safety and protection of Indonesian citizens remain the government’s top priority: ‘We are ensuring that all Indonesian citizens receive the necessary consular support until they are able to fly.’ The Indonesians were previously unable to continue their journey due to the temporary closure of portions of airspace in the Middle East, prompted by rising regional geopolitical tensions since late February 2026. The airspace closures have had wide-ranging effects on international flight operations at major hub airports, with thousands of flights cancelled and hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded in transit cities. Airlines in the UAE have begun operating special repatriation flights as air corridors reopen on a limited basis. To date, air routes opened in the UAE remain relatively limited and are used on a rotational basis. Regular commercial flights have not resumed in full; authorities still prioritise repatriation flights to mobilise around 20,000 visitors who were stranded in the UAE. The Indonesian government, via its diplomatic missions, continues to monitor the security situation in the region. The KBRI Abu Dhabi urges Indonesians still in the UAE who require consular assistance to contact the emergency number or the official KBRI hotline. Indonesians are also advised to register with official ministry channels so that data collection and protection facilitation can be conducted optimally during the flight crisis. The Indonesian government is also monitoring unrest in Nepal to determine evacuations of Indonesian citizens living there. The Prime Minister of Nepal, Sharma Oli, and President Ram Chandra Paudel both resigned on Tuesday, leaving a vacancy in the country’s leadership. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that more than 70 Indonesians out of 97 evacuees from Iran have arrived in Indonesia by Friday (27/6). The hundreds of Indonesians were participants in an educational internship program in the city of Ar Arafat, in southern Israel. The Ministry says dozens of Indonesians stranded in Israel, Jordan, and Iran have returned home safely with assistance from the Indonesian Embassy in Amman.