Trenggalek Regent Detained After Umrah as Middle East Conflict Impacts Flights
Trenggalek Regent Detained After Umrah as Middle East Conflict Impacts Flights
Several Umrah pilgrims from East Java remain stranded in Saudi Arabia due to the armed conflict in the Middle East. One of them is Trenggalek Regent Mochamad Nur Arifin, commonly known as Mas Ipin.
East Java Vice Governor Emil Elestianto Dardak explained that the situation in the Middle East airspace is currently unstable, forcing many airlines to cancel or delay schedules for passenger safety.
‘My friend, Mas Arifin, Mas Ipin the Trenggalek Regent, cannot return home due to conditions in the Middle East and their impact on aviation,’ Emil said in Surabaya on Wednesday (4/3).
Emil stressed that the primary priority at present is the safety of all Indonesian citizens in the conflict zone, including the Umrah pilgrims.
The East Java provincial government continues to monitor developments and hopes the relevant authorities can promptly find the best solution so that repatriation can proceed smoothly.
The East Java Democratic Party chairman also urged all sections of society to pray for Mas Ipin and all other Umrah pilgrims affected by the difficult situation.
‘So may all pilgrims and all residents in the Middle East be granted safety, and we entrust the matter to those competent to take the best possible steps in this difficult situation. Let us all pray for everyone there,’ he said.
Earlier, thousands of East Java Umrah pilgrims were reported stranded in Saudi Arabia as tensions rose in the Iran–Israel–America conflict in recent days.
The East Java Hajj Office (Kanwil Jatim) said, based on provisional data, at least 9,400 East Java pilgrims had their return delayed.
‘Truthfully, there are more or less 9,400 East Java Umrah pilgrims whose return is delayed,’ said Acting Head of the East Java Hajj Ministry Office Asadul Anam, on Monday (2/3).
According to Anam, the delay in repatriation is due to flight-path adjustments and local authorities’ safety policies.
‘To date, all pilgrims are safe and under the supervision of the pilgrimage organisers (PPIU),’ he said.
(fra/frd/fra)