Kurdish pilgrim dies in Medina, marking 14th Kurdistan Region death this year

SULAYMANIYAH — A Kurdish Umrah pilgrim from Kurdistan Region died Saturday in the city of Medina, Saudi Arabia, according to the Kurdistan Hajj and Umrah Directorate.

The death marks the 14th recorded fatality among Umrah pilgrims from the region this year.

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.

The deceased was identified as Sargul Abdullah Karim, an approximately 80-year-old woman from Sulaymaniyah. A spokesperson for the directorate told 964media that she had been hospitalized for 11 days after suffering a stroke before passing away in Medina.

Authorities stated that she will be buried in the city, following local procedures.

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.