Rwandans living in parts of the Middle East report that they remain safe as the escalating conflict involving the United States, Iran and Israel approaches its first week.
The war intensified on February 28 after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes in Tehran under military operations dubbed Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion. The attacks reportedly killed several senior Iranian officials, including Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Other high-ranking figures reported killed in the strikes include Ali Shamkhani, former secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council; Abdol-Rahim Mosavi, Iran’s army chief; and Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The ongoing conflict characterised by missile strikes and drone attacks—has reportedly claimed more than 1,230 civilian lives.
Tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel have also spread to other countries in the region, including Qatar.
Despite the growing regional instability, Rwandans living in Israel and Qatar report that they feel reassured by regular updates and safety guidance from Rwanda’s diplomatic missions.
Anthony Rugigana, who has lived in Israel for several years, commended the Rwandan Embassy for providing timely information to the community.
“On Saturday morning, the embassy quickly reached out and sent us messages reminding us to follow the safety instructions issued by national authorities for both citizens and foreigners,” he said.
He also reassured Rwandans with relatives living in Israel that the situation remains manageable.
“I would like to reassure all Rwandans, including those with children and relatives here in Israel, that we are safe and hopeful that this war will soon come to an end,” he added.
Kassim Kaganda, a representative of the Rwandan community in the United Arab Emirates, said security conditions there remain stable.
“For now, the situation is calm and none of our members has encountered any problems. People are following official information provided by the authorities,” he explained.
He noted that some reports circulating on social media about widespread insecurity in the UAE do not reflect the reality on the ground.
“Work continues as usual and daily life is going on. The only disruption has been at the airport, although some flights have started operating again to allow passengers to return home,” he said.
Eric Bahati, a Rwandan resident in Qatar, said the first days of the conflict created anxiety after missiles were fired toward United States military bases in the country.
“At the beginning we were worried when missiles targeted American bases, but the government of Qatar has been supportive by issuing frequent updates and safety guidance,” he said.
He added that some residents have temporarily shifted to working remotely as authorities encourage people to limit unnecessary movements.
“We have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel and closely follow official government communication channels,” he said.
Rwandan diplomatic missions in the region say they are closely monitoring the evolving security situation and have established communication channels to assist citizens who may require support.
On Thursday, the Rwandan Embassy in Doha announced that it had temporarily moved its services online due to the prevailing security concerns.
The decision came as Iran continues to launch attacks toward Qatar, accusing the country of hosting United States military bases.
Meanwhile, flight operations to the United Arab Emirates are expected to gradually resume if the security situation stabilises and no further missile attacks are reported.
Etihad Airways announced that it will resume limited flights starting Friday until March 19, 2026.
The airline plans to operate routes from Abu Dhabi to about 70 destinations worldwide, including the United Kingdom, Frankfurt in Germany, New York in the United States, Toronto in Canada and Tel Aviv in Israel.
However, around 80 other routes—including London, Sydney in Australia and Singapore—remain suspended and will only resume once the security situation returns to normal.
