Awakened by sirens, Maldivians stuck in Jordan amid Iran-Israel war

They were woken up to the sound of sirens in the middle of the night. An unknown terror. This is what the Maldivians currently in Jordan to participate in the qualifying for the Billie Jean Cup or Tennis World Cup had to experience. Jordan is in the middle of Iran and Israel.

The war between the two countries is unfolding above them. Missiles and drones fired passes Jordan before they strike their intended target. Flights have been cancelled because the country’s airspace has been closed.

“There is no guarantee we can return to the Male’. The situation is escalating,” a parent who travelled with the tennis team to Jordan told Sun.

The team traveled to Jordan last Thursday night. Coincidentally, Thursday night marked the most intense fighting so far in the war that has broken out between Iran and Israeli.

Jordan’s airspace is not safe. There is no other way for the team to leave the country.

Four players traveled to Jordan to represent Maldives in the qualifying. According to the parent, they are aged between 14 and 18. The remaining members of the team include its Iranian coach, manager and family members of the players. They include both parents and the younger sibling of one of the players.

A total of 19 teams are facing off in the qualifying. The group matches are held in two countries: nine teams in neighboring Sri Lanka and 10 teams in Jordan. The Maldivian team was unlucky to be selected to play in Jordan.

However, the parent described the Iranian coach, Dr. Osama Ali Umar, being with them, as a huge relief as he is well acquainted with the area. The parent who spoke with Sun described it as “huge luck”.

The earliest tickets the team has received are for Friday, to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“We are praying on this. Till yesterday, we did not hear sirens in the morning. But today, we woke up to sirens. This was around 8:00am, local time,” the parent detailed.

Although Jordan is not the target, some of the missiles that are intercepted by either side fall on Jordan. This is the reason behind the sirens urging people to take cover.

“As intercepted ones fall here, we are assuming it is very. They are instructing here, to go home when sirens are blasted. To not remain in open spaces,” the parent said.

Although the Maldivian team traveled to Jordan, others were unable to, leading to the matches being cancelled.

The parent confirmed that there is not much unrest within Jordan itself. In this regard, there is no difficulty in fulfilling their basic needs such as getting food.

The parent commended Maldivian Olympic Committee’s Secretary General Thmaooh Ahmed Saeed, for closely monitoring their situation. In their words, if Samooh is there, there is no concern if a situation arises while abroad.

In this regard, the parent noted that they have been reimbursed the airfare, with the funds deposited today.

“Please pray for our safe return to Male’,” the parent appealed to the public.

After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel in the early hours of Friday launched a surprise attack, saying it was targeting Iran's nuclear and military facilities. Iran responded with barrages of drones and missiles. Despite numerous deaths from both sides, there is no indication of a ceasefire from either.