25 deaths this year
KRG suspends over 90 travel agents for ‘unauthorized’ Hajj pilgrimages
ERBIL – The Kurdistan Regional Government’s General Directorate of Hajj and Umrah has announced the suspension of over 90 travel agents and tourism firms on Sunday, citing violations related to unauthorized pilgrimage arrangements to Saudi Arabia.
The Directorate issued a statement urging the public to avoid engaging with individuals or companies lacking official agreements with the KRG for Umrah services, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing safety.
Karwan Stuni, a spokesperson for the Directorate, told 964media that these companies would remain suspended until their cases are thoroughly reviewed and resolved. According to Stuni, the violations stem from the companies organizing pilgrimages without following the KRG’s established guidelines since the start of the year, although specific breaches were not disclosed.
Travelers to Saudi Arabia are advised to verify the legitimacy of pilgrimage services by requesting proof of official agreements between the companies and the KRG.
“In the near future, we will publicly disclose the names of companies that have secured official agreements. Travelers can safely engage with these companies without any concerns, and the General Directorate of Hajj and Umrah will bear no responsibility for issues arising from unauthorized operators,” the Directorate stated.
This year’s Hajj pilgrimage saw over 25 deaths among Kurdistan Region pilgrims, most of whom entered Saudi Arabia on tourist visas allegedly facilitated by various local tourism companies.
Many pilgrims resort to tourist visas for Hajj due to the limited availability of official Hajj visas, which are allocated based on quotas determined by each country’s Muslim population. While tourist visas may appear more accessible and cost-effective compared to official Hajj packages, this method can result in numerous complications. These include the absence of adequate supervision by trained professionals, insufficient medical support, and challenges in securing well-managed accommodations and food provisions that are typically provided to officially registered pilgrims.
Following these incidents, the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government announced plans to take legal action against those facilitating pilgrimages through annual Saudi tourist visas.
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