Employers have moved Nepali workers from US military camps and high-risk areas in the Gulf to safer places. Workers in areas where Iran could target them have been moved to safer places. 

After the US and Israel attacked Iran, Iran has been targeting US military camps in West Asia. The first to be attacked was the US military camp in Bahrain. ‘We were taken to another location two days before the attack. We are safe now,’ said a Nepali working at a US military camp in Bahrain, ‘We are in regular contact with our families.’ Bahrain has already relocated everyone from around the US camp. An Asian worker was killed in the attack in Bahrain. Nepali workers working at US military camps in Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan and Iraq have also been relocated. 

150 Nepalis at Erbil Airport in Iraqi Kurdistan have been relocated to safer places. According to Ramkaji Khadka, head of the West Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which oversees the Gulf region, they have been placed in a hotel. Iran also attacked the American base camp at Erbil Airport. 

Nepalis have also been removed from the American military camp in Qatar. The largest camp in the Gulf region employed about 500 Nepalis. ‘Various companies send workers to work in the camp there. These workers do maintenance and cleaning work,’ said a Nepali. ‘All those who were taken from our company are now in the company’s camp. Now, civilians have been banned from entering the camp.’

Qatar’s Hamad Airport, which is considered a sensitive area, has been closed. 1,500 Nepalis working there have been moved to a safe place. Qatar has stated that 8,000 passengers who used Hamad International Airport as a ‘transit’ have also been moved to a safe place. 

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Mohammed Al Ansari said that the attack targeting Hamad Airport was foiled. Qatar's Defense Ministry said it had intercepted cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, drones and fighters detected in Qatar's skies. Three ballistic missiles and 15 drones fell in Qatar. Work has been halted on most projects outside Qatar. Work is ongoing inside buildings. "We are working inside. It is halted outside," said Bhim Taramu Magar, who is based in Qatar.

The UAE is trying to normalize the situation. At a media briefing held by the UAE government on Tuesday, the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority said essential services including electricity, water, telecommunications, transport, healthcare and goods supply were operating without disruption. According to Juna Ojha, who is based in the UAE, major malls were deserted. According to the UAE Ministry of Defense, air defense systems intercepted 11 ballistic missiles and 123 drones from Iran on Tuesday. Although one missile fell on UAE soil, the Ministry of Defense said there were no casualties.

Iran has fired 186 ballistic missiles at the UAE since Saturday. Of these, 172 were destroyed, 13 fell into the sea and one fell on the ground, according to the Ministry of Defense. Nepali worker Diwas Shrestha was killed when a drone crashed at Abu Dhabi airport.

Nepali workers in all areas of the Gulf are normal and safe, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ‘We have received information from 10 missions overseeing the Gulf region that Nepalis are safe,’ said Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri. ‘The Nepali embassy is in close contact and coordination with government agencies and the Nepali community.’ Poudel also informed that an ‘Emergency Response Team’ has been formed under the leadership of the Foreign Secretary. ‘We believe that this will work effectively for the safety and rescue of Nepalis,’ he said.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, no embassy has received a call for emergency assistance. The Gulf governments are giving high priority to the security of their nationals and foreign nationals, said Khadka, head of the West Asia region division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Hotel and food arrangements are being made by the relevant airlines for Nepalis in transit,” he said.

According to Khadka, 28 Nepali passengers of Air Arabia and 80 Nepali passengers of Fly Dubai were in ‘transit’ in the UAE. The relevant airlines have also accommodated 90 Nepali passengers in Kuwait. Efforts are being made to arrange accommodation and food for 35 people who went to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah. 

Two Nepalis working in Iran arrived in Dubai via Azerbaijan on Tuesday. Bishnu Prasad Bhusal and Raju Khanal from Arghakhanchi arrived in Dubai. “We boarded a car from Iran on Saturday morning. We reached Azerbaijan on Sunday evening,” Bhusal told Kantipur. “We arrived in Dubai on Tuesday after staying there for two days.” The Azerbaijani embassy ‘booked’ flight tickets for them and brought them to Dubai. "We will come to Nepal after the flight from Dubai," he said, "We are safe now." Six Nepalis are in Iran. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has started collecting details of Nepali workers at risk of war in the Gulf region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has started collecting details of Nepalis working in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq through the Consular Department. The website prepared for collecting details has been made public by the Nepali Embassy. After collecting the details, the embassy will identify those who need rescue and those who do not.