Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, 23 October 2025, strongly condemned a drone attack targeting Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field in Saudi Arabia that killed a Nepali national and a Filipino national after debris from an intercepted drone fell on a contractor's vehicle near the facility. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday morning, also left a Pakistani and an Indian national injured.

What Happened at Shaybah

According to Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy, Saudi air defences intercepted a drone that was attempting to strike a facility at the Shaybah oil field. The interception caused debris to fall onto a vehicle belonging to a contractor working at the site, located outside the facility's perimeter, triggering a fire.

The attack killed two foreign nationals — one Nepali and one Filipino — while two others, a Pakistani and an Indian, were injured. The Shaybah oil field is located deep in Saudi Arabia's Rub' al-Khali, or Empty Quarter, desert near the border with the United Arab Emirates, and is a critical component of the kingdom's energy infrastructure.

Nepal's Formal Condemnation

In a social media post on Thursday, Nepal's foreign ministry said: 'Nepal reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of all attacks targeting civilians and critical infrastructure.' The ministry expressed deep sorrow over the death of the Nepali citizen, extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and wishing for the speedy recovery of all those injured.

The ministry reaffirmed Nepal's principled stand, stating the country 'continues to call for the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue, negotiation and diplomatic engagement.'

Regional Security Context

The incident comes amid heightened regional security concerns over missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, including its airports, military installations, and energy facilities. Yemen-based Houthi rebels, who control large parts of conflict-ravaged Yemen and have been fighting the Saudi-backed Yemeni government for years, have repeatedly targeted Saudi infrastructure in this manner. No group had formally claimed responsibility for this specific strike, according to available reports.

Risk to Nepal's Gulf Diaspora

The latest incident underscores the risks faced by the large community of foreign workers in the Gulf region. Nepal has approximately 1.8 million nationals residing across the Gulf, the vast majority of them migrant workers employed in energy, construction, services, and other sectors.

Nepal's economy is heavily dependent on remittances sent by these workers — transfers that support household spending, sustain domestic consumption, and contribute significantly to national income. Nepal has consistently called for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure during armed conflicts, a position that also reflects its strong interest in safeguarding its nationals working abroad and upholding international humanitarian law.

Diplomatic observers note this is not the first time Nepali workers have been caught in the crossfire of the Yemen-Saudi conflict; the incident adds fresh urgency to calls for enhanced safety protocols for migrant workers in high-risk zones across the Gulf.