Indonesia activates emergency protocols for citizens in Saudi Arabia following airport attack series
Indonesian diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia have been placed on high alert and prepared contingency plans after a series of deadly attacks on Saudi airports, including an October 11 incident at King Khalid International Airport that injured two Indonesian nationals.
Indonesia prepares emergency plans after Riyadh Airport attack
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has activated emergency response measures and placed its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia on heightened alert following a series of attacks on Saudi airports that left two Indonesian citizens with minor injuries.
The coordinated response, led by the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah, comes after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched attacks on three Saudi airports between October 6 and 12, 2026. The assault claimed at least 20 lives and injured more than 370 people across airports in Riyadh, Abha, and Dammam, marking the deadliest series of attacks in Saudi Arabia since the Qatif and Dammam mosque bombings in May 2015.
The Indonesian missions concerned—the Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah—have prepared emergency contingency plans that will be continuously adapted to developments on the ground.
Heni Hamidah, Director for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said in a statement on Thursday.
Indonesian casualties and immediate response
Two Indonesian nationals, identified by their initials RM, 45, and ET, 32, sustained minor injuries during the October 11 attack on King Khalid International Airport. Both hold permanent residency permits in Saudi Arabia and were not religious pilgrims. They received medical treatment and were discharged the same day.
The October 11 incident followed an even deadlier attack the previous day, when 12 people were killed and 308 injured at the same airport. The victims included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and citizens from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt. Saudi Arabia's coalition characterized the attacks as war crimes and vowed decisive responses.
Impact on aviation and Indonesian community
The aviation disruption has been substantial, with hundreds of flights cancelled and multiple international carriers including Air India, Lufthansa, and Pakistan International Airlines suspending services to Riyadh. The operational impact directly affects Indonesian pilgrims and the large Indonesian community in Saudi Arabia, which includes approximately 857,613 registered citizens and an estimated 1.5 million people of Indonesian ancestry.
Despite the security situation, Indonesian authorities confirmed that Umrah pilgrimages remain operational.
To date, Umrah pilgrimages are continuing, and there has been no directive to stop them,Hamidah emphasized. As of July 2026, Indonesia had sent approximately 170,000 Umrah pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, making it the second-largest source country for Umrah pilgrims after Pakistan with 200,000.
Ongoing coordination and historical context
The Foreign Ministry continues to coordinate closely with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and Indonesian diplomatic missions to monitor the evolving security environment. The contingency plans will be adjusted as circumstances develop on the ground.
This is not the first security alert for Indonesian citizens in Saudi Arabia this year. In early March 2026, approximately 58,873 Indonesian Umrah pilgrims were in the kingdom when the Indonesian government issued advisories about escalating Middle East tensions, with the Hajj and Umrah Ministry urging Indonesians to postpone travel due to security concerns.
The significance of Indonesian-Saudi relations is underscored by a memorandum of understanding signed in 2026 granting Indonesia a quota of 221,000 Hajj pilgrims, the world's largest national Hajj quota. The substantial Indonesian presence in the kingdom and the scale of religious pilgrimage make protective measures particularly crucial for Indonesian authorities.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the attacks as "terrible" and indicated the United States was evaluating whether to join Saudi Arabia's military response against the Houthis, raising the possibility of further conflict escalation in the region.