Kurdish pilgrim dies in Mecca during Umrah

NEWSROOM — A 64-year-old pilgrim from the Kurdistan Region died early Thursday morning in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during an Umrah trip, according to the Kurdistan Hajj and Umrah Directorate.

Karwan Stuni, spokesperson for the directorate, told 964media that the pilgrim, named Majid Ahmad, was from the city of Duhok. He passed away after suffering a heart attack and spending seven hours in the hospital.

Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca that can be performed at any time of year, is distinct from the Hajj, which is obligatory for Muslims once in their lifetime and must be performed during specific dates.

Ahmad had previously undergone surgery in the Kurdistan Region before traveling. His family, who accompanied him on the trip, has decided to bury him in Mecca.

According to the directorate, 12 Umrah pilgrims from the Kurdistan Region have died in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the year.

The Kurdistan Region’s Hajj and Umrah Directorate previously published the list of names selected in the draw for the 2026 Hajj. The list includes 3,901 confirmed pilgrims and 1,950 alternates, for a total of 5,851 people. Of these, 113 seats were allocated to families of martyrs, with another 113 alternates named.

Saudi Arabia sets annual quotas based on each country’s Muslim population, typically allocating about 1,000 pilgrims per 1 million Muslims. Iraq’s quota in recent years has ranged between 34,000 and 40,000 pilgrims, divided among governorates, including the Kurdistan Region.