Endowments of Kurdistan Region: KSA to reduce pilgrims’ number to million pilgrims

Erbil (IraqiNews.com) The spokesperson of the Ministry of the Endowments of Kurdistan Region, Miryiwan Naqshabandi, stated that due to the rehabilitation of the Kaaba, the Saudi Ministry of Pilgrimage decided to reduce the number of the pilgrims to one million pilgrims only.

In a press statement received by IraqiNews.com, he said “KSA officially announced about this issue in the official website where it will reduce the number of the pilgrims to one million pilgrims only, but we did not receive any official statement regarding this issue.”

“Iraq will lose the chance to send six thousand pilgrims where 900 pilgrims of them are from Kurdistan Region,” he added.

“Most of the Islamic countries, including Iraq, have made reservation in the hotels according to a formal agreement with some Saudi companies and they paid some payment in advance,” he pointed out.

“The main reason behind this issue is due to the expiation of the Kaaba and the spread of the virus that killed about 25 persons out of 100,” he concluded.