Erbil: The General Directorate of Hajj and Umrah, affiliated with the Ministry of Endowments in the Kurdistan Region, has announced the suspension of Umrah flights by air. This decision comes as a response to ongoing delays in return flights from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Directorate issued a statement highlighting the challenges faced by Umrah pilgrims from the Kurdistan Region. Pilgrims have experienced long waits at Saudi airports due to the unavailability of aircraft, forcing many to return by land via buses or remain stranded. In response, the Directorate has decided to suspend all Umrah flights by air until all stranded pilgrims return home as soon as possible. The Directorate emphasized its commitment to ensuring the pilgrims’ return within specified timeframes.

The Directorate has also called upon Iraqi Airways agents to exert maximum effort in facilitating the return of stranded pilgrims from Saudi airports, warning of potential legal penalties for failure to comply.