The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has widened its advice against travel in Saudi Arabia to include Riyadh province, home to the capital. Its change note of 8 October says: "FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to Aseer province, Riyadh province, Najran province, Jizan province and Taif city and Taif International Airport. FCDO continues to advise against all travel to within 10km of the border with Yemen."
What changed
In its change note of 20 September, the FCDO extended its all but essential advice to the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait, and said it continued to advise against all but essential travel to areas between 10km and 80km from the Yemen border. Riyadh province and Taif were not named. The current list on the Warnings and insurance page has two lines: all travel to within 10km of the border with Yemen, and all but essential travel to the four provinces plus Taif city and its airport. This is all but essential advice, not advice against all travel.
What the FCDO says
The advice says: "Since 13 July, the Houthis (a military group in Yemen) have launched missiles and drones targeting several locations in Saudi Arabia." It warns of "a heightened threat against airports, military bases, ports and energy infrastructure across Saudi Arabia, including Abha, Jizan, Najran, Riyadh, Jeddah and Yanbu". Jeddah and Yanbu are named in that threat warning but are not in the advise-against list. It also says: "Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)."
What the UN says
At the UN noon briefing on 8 October, the spokesperson condemned continued Houthi cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia, "including their recent attacks against the Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in the capital Riyadh. Those attacks reportedly killed three people and injured several others." The UN did not say which attack caused the deaths.
What it means for operators
Riyadh province, home to the capital, is now inside an advise-against area. Before the next Riyadh task, check with clients and insurers whether travel insurance, kidnap and ransom cover and medical evacuation cover still apply, and get it in writing. Build arrival plans that do not depend on a single airport, since the UN now names King Khalid International among the targets and the FCDO warns airspace can close at short notice. See today's tradecraft piece on sheltering from intercept debris.
