SINGAPORE: The sound of wailing air raid sirens fills the air daily amid the escalating Iranian war but more than 40 Singaporeans studying in Middle East universities are hoping for the best and choosing not to come home.
Fears of not being able to return and hopes of finishing their studies are a few reasons for them to be hesitant about leaving.
One such student is Siti Fatimah Abdul Rashid, 22.
She first moved to Irbid in Jordan in 2023 to pursue a degree in Islamic jurisprudence, a field of Islamic science that studies interpretations of the syariah or Islamic law.
“On Feb 28, I was woken up by emergency sirens,” she said in a video interview with The Straits Times.
Siti said this was not the first time she has heard emergency sirens in her neighbourhood.
The emergency siren, sounded by the Irbid government to warn citizens of overhead missiles, is a signal to stay indoors or find shelter.
Once the danger of falling debris from intercepted missiles is believed to have passed, another siren will be heard, to signal to residents that it is safe to come out, Siti added.
“This time, it’s much worse than I’ve ever experienced,” she said.
She added that the sirens can be heard three or four times daily. In the past, such as during the Israel-Palestine conflict, sirens were only sounded once a day, or every two days.
Siti said: “This time, I have heard it every day since the first US-Israeli strike on Iran.”
A few days ago, she added, local media reports said debris from intercepted missiles had landed in Irbid, not far from Siti’s university dormitory.
However, Siti said she has no plans for now to leave Irbid and go home. “My family encouraged me to stay here, seek shelter and focus on my studies,” she added.
But she cannot help feeling anxious about the widening conflict between the United States and its allies, and Iran.
On some days, Siti can feel the window in her room shake from the impact of falling debris. “It was scary at the time, but it was over quickly,” she added.
Yet, Siti said she has decided to remain in Irbid. “The government here is sending out announcements on what is happening, so I know it is safe,” she added.
She said if the Singapore embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman issues an advisory saying it is best for Singaporeans to return home, she will pack her bags.
“For now, I plan to stay indoors with my friends and keep to normal life as much as possible,” Siti added.
Other students said they are anxious about not being able to come back to the Middle East if they left now.
For instance, Zaid Ghazali, 26, booked flights from the Saudi holy city of Madinah to Singapore three months ago, to spend Hari Raya Puasa at home with his family.
He got on the plane on March 6 but at the back of his mind, there were fears that he would not be able to return to complete his degree in Islamic studies at the Islamic University of Madinah.
Zaid has been in the Middle East region since 2022, when he moved to Jordan to complete his first degree, before heading to Saudi Arabia to pursue a second degree in Islamic jurisprudence.
Zaid added that shops are still open in Madinah, people are still heading to the mall, and there are no signs traffic on the roads has eased.
But there is still a feeling of uncertainty, and Zaid said he tries to remain calm. His family in Singapore, he added, has been in constant contact, reminding him stay indoors and stick closely to instructions from the authorities.
“One problem we have is AI-generated images and videos,” said Zaid, referring the problem of misinformation online about the US-Iran conflict.
“If my family members back home see this type of the AI-generated news, they can become more worried,” he said. To allay their fears, he gives them news he gets from local news sources, to help them keep abreast of what is happening in the region.
Some students in the Middle East have also switched to attending classes remotely to cut down on going outside.
Jaabir Kamal, 22, said all his lectures at Kuwait University for his Islamic jurisprudence degree have moved to remote learning platforms.
“I’m on the brink of graduating, so I’m not too keen to come back to Singapore right now,” he added.
Jaabir, who came to Kuwait in 2017, said he and his friends help check on each other, making sure everyone is keeping well.
Kuwait shares a border with Iran, and Jaabir said if things get worse – such as the US opting for a land invasion – then he would be forced to get out.
“Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is constantly checking in on all the students in the Middle East, so I will follow their instructions,” he added.
Jaabir said he was hoping that diplomatic efforts can bring back peace and stability in the Gulf, a sentiment echoed by Siti and Zaid.
Siti said: “My heart goes out to those directly affected by the attacks and I hope everything can end peacefully for us to celebrate the Eid festivities peacefully.”
On March 5, Acting Minister for Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim said he spoke with Singaporeans students in the Middle East to check on their welfare, safety and well-being.
In his Facebook post, he said: “I am relieved that our students are safe, with minimal disruptions to their studies.
“We hope all sides choose dialogue over conflict and work towards peace, guided by international law and the UN Charter.”
The US–Iran war has escalated sharply since the first strike on Feb 28. Israeli military chiefs said Tel Aviv is moving to the next phase of the war with Iran after carrying out 2,500 strikes with more than 6,000 weapons. - The Straits TImes/ANN
