Kurdistan pilgrims to travel overland for 2026 Hajj

ERBIL — Pilgrims from the Kurdistan Region will travel by land for the 2026 Hajj, in line with arrangements for all Iraqi pilgrims, following a decision taken for safety reasons, the KRG’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said.

In a statement, the ministry said “in the interest of the public good and to guarantee the safe arrival of Kurdistan Region pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, and in coordination with the Iraqi Hajj and Umrah Commission, it has been agreed that travel for this year’s Hajj, like the rest of Iraq’s pilgrims, will be only by land routes.”

The ministry said departures are expected to begin early next month, adding that travel procedures and schedules will be organized and announced in coordination with Iraqi authorities in the coming days.

It noted that pilgrims had originally planned to travel by air, but were required to switch to land routes due to regional conditions and the closure of Iraqi airspace and airports.

The ministry said it is working to secure compensation for pilgrims affected by the change, stating that efforts are ongoing “through the Iraqi Hajj and Umrah Commission to ensure pilgrims’ rights are restored in line with the mechanisms and assessments set by the commission,” similar to compensation provided in previous years.

Earlier, Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority announced that “the airspace and all Iraqi airports will be reopened starting today,” ending a closure that had been in effect since Feb. 28 — 38 days in total — after regional tensions disrupted flights and stranded travelers.

Nearly 90,000 people in the Kurdistan Region registered electronically for the 2026 pilgrimage, with 3,901 selected through a lottery system and 1,950 placed on a reserve list, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s General Directorate of Hajj and Umrah.