Iran’s retaliatory fire that also targeted parts of the UAE with missiles and drones after the US-Israeli strikes on February 28 has killed at least four civilians and injured over 100 people. Most of the drones and missiles were intercepted by the UAE’s air defence, but falling debris and fragments from intercepted missiles caused casualties.
Four people who have died in separate incidents involving debris from drones and missiles have been identified as from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. UAE authorities have expressed condolences to the families of the victims and reiterated that emergency services responded quickly to the incidents.
The four civilians killed in the Iranian attack are- Mureed Zaman of Pakistan, Saleh Ahmed of Bangladesh, Dibas Shrestha of Nepal and a Pakistani driver killed in Dubai, according to Khaleej Times.
Mureed Zaman: A Pakistani national from Bannu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reportedly died on February 28 by an Iranian drone attack. Zaman has been working in Abu Dhabi for around 8 years, earning a livelihood through labour work and driving jobs. He moved to the UAE from Pakistan to support his family there.
Saleh Ahmed: Another civilian who died in the attack on February 28 was Saleh Ahmed. Ahmed was a 55-year-old Bangladeshi resident who lived in the UAE for 25 years. He died in Ajman when Iran attacked the UAE with drones and missiles. According to Sky News, Ahmed was struck by debris while he was delivering water.
Dibas Shrestha: Nepali national Dibas Shrestha died on March 1, after debris fell on him. The debris was from the interception of a drone targeting Zayed International Airport. 29-year-old Shrestha travelled to the UAE around a year and a half earlier to work as a security guard. Along with him, seven more people were injured due to the incident.
Pakistani Driver: On March 7, a Pakistani driver died when debris fell onto a vehicle from an aerial interception. The incident happened in the Al Barsha area in Dubai, which led to the death of a Pakistani driver. The Pakistani Embassy said that its Consulate General in Dubai is in direct contact with local authorities to assist the family and facilitate the repatriation process as quickly as possible, adding that it shared in the family’s grief, reported Khaleej Times.