«We are receiving no real help from the consulate; we are left to manage on our own. We don’t know what we will do when our money runs out,» Erkingul Sharshenbekova, a citizen of Kyrgyzstan stranded in the emirate of Ajman (UAE) due to Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran and the closure of airspace in the region, said. She turned to 24.kg news agency.
Sharshenbekova was supposed to fly out of Sharjah together with her elderly mother and daughter on February 28. However, their flight was canceled.
The airline Air Arabia, which sold the tickets, reportedly provided no information and did not contact passengers. People were simply asked to leave the airport and Kyrgyzstanis were forced to wait there until 2 a.m.
«A consul arrived and said: ‘There’s nothing I can do either.’ We were just given an address, told to go there, pay $25 per person, and stay. We took a taxi there with children in our arms, only to find the place extremely dirty. In the end, we had to find accommodation ourselves and settle in somehow,» she told.
According to Sharshenbekova, they are still forced to pay for hotel stays out of their own pocket, while no officials or consulate representatives have inquired about their condition.
«No one asked what we were doing, what we were eating, or whether we had money. We’ve been writing for two days asking what to do when our funds run out, but we receive no response. News reports say the embassy is visiting and housing everyone. Maybe that’s true in Dubai, but in Sharjah and Ajman, people are left on their own — everyone is just trying to survive,» she said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic reported this morning that there is no panic or widespread concern among Kyrgyzstanis in the Middle East. The situation is reportedly under control, with a special headquarters operating 24/7.
The attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran began on February 28 with multiple air and missile strikes on cities and military facilities. In response, Tehran struck Israel and U.S. military bases in several Middle Eastern countries. Following the initial strikes, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the start of the military operation.
Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, was killed, along with several other senior officials in Tehran.
The escalation in the Middle East continues, with ongoing missile strikes from both sides. Tens of thousands of people remain stranded due to closed airspace in the conflict zone.
