Ghana Football Association President Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku has met with the Black Queens in the United Arab Emirates to urge calm and reassure the team following escalating violence in the Middle East.
The Black Queens have been in the UAE for the past week as part of their preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. However, the security situation in the region has deteriorated sharply after Iran launched retaliatory attacks in response to joint military strikes by the United States and Israel that reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials.
Addressing the team, Simeon Okraku assured the players and technical staff that the Ghana Football Association has been actively engaging relevant authorities over the past 24 to 48 hours to ensure their safety. He disclosed that discussions have been held with Ghana’s mission in the UAE, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and security advisers to determine the best course of action as revealed in an official statement.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and the Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams have also reached out to express the nation’s support for the team during the crisis. The GFA has called for calm while it continues to monitor developments and promised to keep stakeholders informed of any changes.
The security concerns intensified after multiple explosions were reported across parts of the Gulf region. In the UAE, at least three people were killed in the latest attacks. The country’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that the victims were Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationals.
Explosions were heard for a second consecutive day in Dubai, as well as in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, and Doha, the capital of Qatar. Witnesses in Doha reported hearing loud blasts and seeing thick black smoke rising over parts of the city. In Dubai, additional explosions were reported, with white smoke from missile interceptions visible in the sky and dark smoke rising over Jebel Ali port, one of the busiest in the Middle East.
Iran’s Ministry of Defence stated that 137 missiles and 209 drones were launched across the UAE on Saturday, with fires and smoke reportedly reaching areas near Palm Jumeirah and the Burj al Arab. At Abu Dhabi International Airport, authorities confirmed that at least one person was killed and seven others injured during what was described as an incident. Dubai International Airport and Kuwait International Airport were also affected.
Despite the rising tensions, Ghanaian officials are working closely with diplomatic and security channels to safeguard the Black Queens as uncertainty continues in the region.
