Uzbekistan Repatriates Over 9,000 Citizens from Middle East in Five Days

In a major repatriation effort, Uzbekistan has brought home more than nine thousand of its citizens from several Middle Eastern countries. The operation, which took place over five days in early March 2026, saw a total of 9,361 people return to their homeland.

The vast majority of the evacuees—8,114 individuals—were flown back from Saudi Arabia on a combination of scheduled and special charter flights. An additional 1,192 citizens were repatriated from the United Arab Emirates. Smaller numbers returned from other nations in the region: 25 from Bahrain, 23 from Iran, and 7 from Oman.

The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the process of returning compatriots is being carried out systematically and in stages. For now, the focus is on repatriating citizens from countries whose airspace remains open to civilian traffic. The ministry indicated that efforts will expand to other nations in the region as their airspace becomes accessible.

Authorities have urged Uzbek citizens abroad to remain calm and avoid panic. They are advised to act prudently, strictly adhere to local regulations in their host countries, and rely solely on official information released by Uzbek government bodies and diplomatic missions.