ISLAMABAD: Faiz Ali Sheikh had just passed through security at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and was searching for a seat before boarding his flight to Madinah when a missile fired by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia struck the facility.
The Pakistani expatriate, originally from Hyderabad in Sindh province and a resident of Abu Dhabi for the past 24 years, was among more than 300 people injured in the October 10 attack.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia have carried out a series of drone and missile strikes against Saudi energy, aviation, and civilian infrastructure, resulting in over a dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries. The attacks have heightened concerns regarding the expanding regional consequences of the United States-Iran conflict.
Speaking to Urdu News, Sheikh, a father of four, described the atmosphere inside the airport following the attack as “very strange, horrifying,” noting that he and fellow passengers were left in “great shock.”
“As soon as I picked up my bag and began walking toward a seat, the incident occurred. One person lost his hand, while others suffered foot injuries,” he told Arab News from Abu Dhabi.
“Smoke filled the air, accompanied by screams and cries of ‘Labbaik Ya Allah, Ya Allah Khair.'”
Sheikh, who was traveling to Madinah on October 10, said his original Saudia flight had been canceled, forcing him to wait for hours at the airport before securing a later Flynas flight.
As terrified passengers rushed to safety, Sheikh said he did not immediately realize he had sustained serious injuries. Despite heavy bleeding from his foot, his sole focus was escaping the terminal.
“When I ran in an attempt to get out of the airport, I saw that my entire foot was covered in blood and that I was bleeding heavily,” he said.
“Although I felt no pain due to the bleeding, I only wished to somehow escape the airport.”
He was later admitted to a Saudi hospital, where Sheikh said authorities provided comprehensive medical care and support during his treatment. He was among 17 Pakistanis injured in the October 10 attack.
“The Saudi government, the hospital where I was admitted, cooperated extensively. Members of the royal family, ministers who visited—everyone offered significant support,” he said.
“I was discharged on Thursday [October 15].”
Following his discharge, Sheikh said Pakistan’s embassy helped arrange his overland journey back to the UAE, ensuring he could travel comfortably despite his injuries.
“The Pakistani embassy played a special role in my road journey,” he told Urdu News.
“They arranged a vehicle for me and made all necessary arrangements inside it so that I could travel comfortably while seated.”