KRG returns Umrah pilgrims by land as regional conflict disrupts flights

ERBIL — The Kurdistan Region’s General Directorate of Hajj and Umrah said Thursday that some Umrah pilgrims have returned to the Kurdistan Region by land due to ongoing regional war involving the United States, Israel and Iran which has disrupted air travels across various areas in the Middle East.

Karwan Stuni, the spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region’s Hajj and Umrah authority, said in a statement that pilgrims who had been in Saudi Arabia returned safely to the Kurdistan Region via land routes.

Stuni said the authority’s teams remain in contact to organize the return of all pilgrims and confirmed that the process is continuing.

He said the use of land routes may continue if regional conditions remain unstable and flights are suspended.

Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority extended the country’s airspace closure for 72 hours on Wednesday, covering all incoming, outgoing and transit flights until noon Saturday.

The directorate also called on residents of the Kurdistan Region to postpone Umrah trips for now to avoid potential difficulties until conditions return to normal.

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