Riyadh airport attacks prompt travel warnings and event postponements
publishers 169articles 404first reported 6 Oct, 07:00 UTCdeveloping since 6 Oct · 22 editions
A series of Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has killed and injured hundreds of people, disrupted travel and prompted changes to Saudi Arabia’s sports and cultural calendar.
Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said Thursday that the airport had faced 20 attacks since October 1. He said strikes between October 7 and 11 killed 17 people and injured 333, while coalition forces had destroyed 127 Houthi ballistic-missile depots near Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi airports and other infrastructure.
Foreign governments and employers have increased precautions. Dublin Airport operator DAA, which provides management and consultancy services in Riyadh, said its Saudi-based staff were safe. Malaysia said its citizens in Riyadh and Jeddah were safe and advised them to avoid public and strategic locations. Indonesia placed its diplomatic missions on high alert after two Indonesian residents suffered minor injuries in the October 11 airport attack; both were treated and discharged that day. Umrah pilgrimages were continuing.
Several events have been altered. The Asian Tour indefinitely postponed the $5 million Saudi International golf tournament scheduled for November. Riyadh Fashion Week was moved to 2027, though organizers did not publicly connect that decision to security concerns. Australia withdrew from the urban cycling World Championships, while FIFA postponed its FIFAe Finals. Saudi organizers said the Asian Cup soccer tournament remained scheduled for January 7 to February 5.
DW separately found that several widely shared videos purporting to show the airport attacks were AI-generated, although authentic footage has also circulated.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 8 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 250 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- Given to the writer
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- Independent newsrooms
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- This version written
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WHAT THE EDITOR DID
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