Nearly 2,000 Kurdish Umrah pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia due to airline complications

ERBIL – Nearly 2,000 Umrah pilgrims from the Kurdistan Region have been stranded in Saudi Arabia for four days, according to a spokesperson from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.

Nabaz Ismail, the ministry’s spokesperson, told 964media, “Due to complications between Iraqi and Saudi airlines, a significant number of Umrah pilgrims are currently stranded in Saudi Arabia, with around 2,000 of them being from the Kurdistan Region.”

Ismail assured that “the pilgrims are in good condition and are staying in hotels.” He added that the ministry is coordinating with the Iraqi Supreme Hajj Committee and the Prime Minister’s Office to resolve the issue, but warned that it could “take considerable time and may face delays.”

Ismail also mentioned that if the issue is not promptly resolved, alternative routes may be considered to bring the pilgrims back to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Umrah is a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, that Muslims can undertake at any time of the year, unlike the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage, which takes place on specific dates according to the Islamic lunar calendar. While not required, Umrah is considered a highly spiritual and rewarding act, often referred to as the “little pilgrimage.” It involves performing a series of rituals in and around the holy city of Mecca.

This is not the first time Kurdish pilgrims have been stranded. On Jan. 28, Kurdish pilgrims traveling to Mecca and Medina with Fly Baghdad were also stranded in Saudi Arabia following U.S. sanctions on the airline. Announced by the U.S. Treasury Department on Jan. 22, the sanctions targeted three leaders and members of Kataib Hezbollah, as well as several companies, including Fly Baghdad, which were accused of supporting pro-Iran militias.