“It’s Starting To Scare Me”: SA Woman Stranded in Qatar Shares Day 11 Update Amid War Explosions

• A Mzansi woman has been documenting her experience from inside a country that has faced repeated missile and drone attacks since the war began at the end of February
• With over a million people stranded globally due to the conflict, South Africans waiting to fly home have faced some of the longest waits as Africa routes were the last to reopen
• Qatar’s government has been covering hotel costs for stranded passengers, but many travellers say the hardest part is the silence from airlines about when things will return to normal

A South African woman has been living in a hotel room in Doha since 28 February 2026, trapped in the middle of a war zone with no confirmed flight home.

Xolile Khumalo, who goes by @xolile697 on TikTok, has been sharing daily updates since Qatar grounded all commercial flights. This was after Iranian missile and drone strikes reportedly began targeting the Gulf state. She was among thousands of passengers caught off guard when Hamad International Airport went dark overnight.

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10 March 2026 was the 11th day of her ordeal. She posted a clip confirming she is still waiting, still watching, and still hearing explosions.

Up to 8,000 passengers were reported to be stranded in Qatar. The government is reportedly covering hotel accommodation costs and extending their visas. That is the only comfort in what has been a nerve-wracking situation as the war is on Khumalo’s doorstep.

Flights to Africa are barely moving

Qatar partially reopened its airspace through designated emergency corridors. However, scheduled commercial flights remained suspended pending a further official announcement. Qatar Airways confirmed a reduced number of repatriation departures between 10 and 12 March.

It served destinations including Nairobi, London, Cairo, and Jeddah. Johannesburg only appeared on the schedule for 12 March 2026.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi shares messages of support

Briefly News compiled a series of comments from South Africans who are concerned about the safety of the woman.

@therealdaddyadrian🇿🇦 commented:

“I saw a video from another woman who’s back home. She took a flight to Kenya, then home from there. I hope everything works out for you, sister. 🙏”

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@Aggy’s Salon said:

“You are in our prayers, our sisters. 🙏 You will come back home safely. 🌸”

@Sika 60 wrote:

“Funny thing about life is that the struggles that feel heavy today will one day become stories we laugh about while remembering how strong we were to get through them. 💪🙂”

@Willow🌳🌻 In- JeJu 🏝️ commented:

“🥺This is starting to scare me. May the Lord protect and keep you safe.”

@Nene Nokuthula said:

“You will be ok, Qatar is safe. I hope you remain safe.”

More South Africans stuck in the Middle East

• Briefly News previously reported that a South African woman living in Korea for over four years had her long-awaited flight home cancelled after war broke out in the Middle East.
• A South African woman shared her distressing experience after finding herself stranded in Qatar as missile attacks intensified across the Gulf region.
• South Africans stranded in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are calling on the government to urgently intervene after major Middle Eastern airports were shut following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation.

Source: Briefly News