ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The first group of pilgrims from the Kurdistan Region will return from Saudi Arabia next week through Erbil International Airport, the Kurdistan Region's ministry of endowment announced on Thursday. The first convoy, consisting of 1,027 pilgrims, is scheduled to arrive on June 4. The ministry said the date for the return of the remaining pilgrims has not yet been determined. More than 5,000 pilgrims from the Kurdistan Region are performing the Hajj pilgrimage this year. Authorities have assigned 105 companies to oversee transportation and services, with each company responsible for 49 pilgrims. Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is a religious obligation for Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey. The annual pilgrimage takes place between the 8th and 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar. After completing the Hajj rituals, pilgrims spend several days in Medina before returning home.
