‘Stop hitting civilians’: India tells Iran after deadly Kuwait strike kills citizen

INdia on midweek condemned an iranian language assail on kuwait city international aerodrome that left an Indian national dead and called for an end to the targeting of civilian infrastructure, even as the total number of Indians killed in the region since the start of the West Asia conflict rose to 10.The death of the Indian national was initially confirmed by the Indian embassy in Kuwait City. In a social media post, the mission expressed its “deepest condolences at the tragic demise of an Indian national due to an attack on the airport in Kuwait” and said it is coordinating with Kuwaiti authorities to provide assistance to the bereaved family and those injured in the incident.A subsequent statement from the external affairs ministry condemned the attack on Kuwait international airport and said several Indians were among the injured.“Since the onset of the conflict in West Asia, we have strongly urged that civilian population and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. We again call upon parties to cease such attacks,” the statement said.“We remain in close contact with local authorities for the welfare of Indian nationals,” the statement said, adding that Indian missions and posts across the region are “on alert and continue to proactively support our community”.People familiar with the matter said the dead Indian was a worker at the airport. Kuwait is home to more than one million Indians, the country’s largest expatriate community.Kuwait’s foreign ministry said Iranian attacks on its territory killed one person and damaged vital infrastructure including diplomatic missions, while the health ministry said 63 people were injured. Kuwait’s Public Authority for Civil Aviation suspended air traffic and rerouted flights to alternative airports after the attacks.The Gulf Cooperation Council, Lebanon and Jordan also condemned Iran’s attacks on civilian facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the attacks were carried out in retaliation for an air strike on its facilities on Qeshm Island.In May, an Indian sailor was killed, and several more were injured when their dhow caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred against the backdrop of continuing tensions between Iran and the US in the vital waterway.Eight other Indian nationals were killed in the West Asia conflict, while dozens more have been injured across the region. In March, an Indian national was killed and another was injured by debris from the interception of a missile in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi.An Indian national died in an Iranian attack on a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait in March. Another Indian national was killed in missile and drone attacks on the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh the same month.Two more Indians died in an attack on an industrial area in Oman on March 13, and three seafarers died in attacks on merchant vessels in the early days of the conflict. One Indian citizen has also been reported missing.