A group of Chinese travelers, who had been left stuck in the Middle East due to tensions in the region, safely returned to their homeland on Monday after an evacuation plan was put in place to bring them back via Oman.
Joint military strikes launched by the United States and Israel on Iran since Feb. 28 have triggered a sharp escalation, as Iran has hit back with retaliatory strikes on various targets across the region.
Explosions have been reported in multiple Middle East countries, while the closure of airspace across the Gulf region due to the conflict has also caused widespread disruption, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded.
In recent days, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Civil Aviation Administration of China have made alternative travel arrangements and put on extra flights to bring stranded Chinese travelers back home from the Middle East.
On Monday, passengers arriving at the Beijing Daxing International Airport on a direct flight from the Omani capital Muscat spoke of their sense of relief upon landing following the recent uncertainty.
"I feel so relieved to be back. I truly want to thank our motherland," said one of the returnees.
"The embassy temporarily arranged an extra flight yesterday, so everyone on our flight came directly by car from either Dubai or Abu Dhabi. [I was] so happy," said another.
"Leaders from the overseas Chinese chambers of commerce volunteered at the airport, helping us check-in until we boarded the plane," said a traveler.
Many recalled the feeling of fear and anxiety of the days and nights they spent stuck in the UAE, but said the moment they boarded the flight home, the pent-up emotions of those days finally gave way to an overwhelming sense of joy.
"I was scared, honestly. Especially at night, there were often sirens going off and other stuff," said a traveler.
"I heard the sounds of gunfire twice. It made me so anxious that I couldn't sleep at night. Now that we're back, we finally feel relieved and safe," said another.
Chinese nationals return to homeland from Middle East via Oman
A crossing point on the Türkiye-Iran border is seeing people going in both directions as some flee the conflict in Iran, while others are returning to their homeland with a vow to fight in the war as U.S.-Israel strikes continue to pummel the country.
Nestled in the mountains between Türkiye and Iran, the Kapikoy border crossing has become a key point of entry or exit, especially given the mass flight suspensions and airspace closures as a result of the conflict which erupted on Feb. 28.
Despite the dangers, Akbar, an Iranian who has lived in Germany for 12 years, is one of the many young men who are determined to head home and join the efforts to defend their country.
He said he decided to return immediately after seeing new reports that his hometown of Isfahan in central Iran had been bombed. He vowed to stand by his country until the end. "I want to return to Iran to protect my country. I am willing to give my life for my motherland. For my life and my compatriots, I am willing to give my life. I have no intention of returning to Germany. I will stay in Iran. I will protect my country with my own life. I want the whole world to know Iranians will always steadfastly protect their country," said Akbar.
Other Iranians who had been working in Türkiye said they were prepared to return for the same reason and do whatever they can to protect their homeland.
"Israel and the United States have made a grave mistake. They will pay a price, a heavy one. We will fight to the end to defend Iran," said one of the young men at the border crossing.
But the border point is also seeing a stream of people going in the opposite direction, as many Iranians are passing through here as they seek to flee the constant aerial bombardment by the U.S and Israel.
"We saw many bombs, four bombs, or, I don't know, five bombs. We are very scared, [I'm] with my mom, and we want to go to Türkiye, it's safe there," said Mahir, an Iranian university student.
Mahir also spoke of the trauma brought by the crisis, saying he has barely slept over the past few days, but every time he closes his eyes, all he sees is explosions. He also expressed worries about others who have been left behind, including his best friend, who is still stuck hundreds of kilometers away in the city of Tabriz.
More than 1,330 Iranian civilians, including women and children, have been killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes and thousands more injured, Iran's UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said on Friday, while accusing the United States and Israel of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure across Iran
U.S.-Israeli strikes continue to pound the capital Tehran and other areas of Iran. Much of the Iranian capital has been shrouded in thick black smoke in recent days after oil depots in surrounding areas were targeted, raising concerns over the impact of pollution and the disruption to fuel supplies.
Since the U.S. and Israel launched large-scale strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Iran has responded with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets across the region, hitting many countries in the Gulf.
Some flee, others return to fight as Türkiye-Iran border crossing sees people going in both directions
