Successful Return of 30,000 Afghan Pilgrims from Saudi Arabia Concludes

The Ministry of Transport and Aviation of the Islamic Emirate has announced the successful completion of the transfer process for approximately 30,000 Afghan pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Afghanistan, marked by the 97th flight landing at Kabul International Airport.

Completion of Afghan Pilgrims’ Return

In an official statement, the Taliban government’s Ministry of Transport and Aviation announced that the significant operation to facilitate the return of Afghan pilgrims from Saudi Arabia has been successfully concluded with the last flight. According to the ministry, the final flight landed on Wednesday at Kabul International Airport carrying 252 Afghan pilgrims. With their return, the files for this year’s pilgrims’ return to the country have been officially closed.

Flight Management from Four Major Transit Zones

Officials from the Ministry of Aviation and Transport confirmed that this year’s pilgrims traveled to Saudi Arabia through four major airports, including Kabul International Airport, Ahmad Shah Baba Airport in Kandahar, Khwaja Abdullah Ansari Airport in Herat, and Moulana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi Airport in Mazar-e-Sharif. Following the completion of the spiritual rites of Hajj, the return process was executed according to a precise timetable, bringing the pilgrims back to their respective provinces.

Return Process Phases and Travel Caravan Details

The return operation for the pilgrims, which began about a month ago, was organized in two essential phases. In the first phase, pilgrims who initially traveled directly to Medina were flown back to Afghanistan from Jeddah International Airport. In the second phase, the remaining pilgrims returned home after completing their rituals, prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque, and visits to holy and historical sites. Notably, the first return flight, operated by Kam Air, brought 346 pilgrims from Nangarhar province along with their caravan guides from Jeddah to Kabul.

Full Quota Allocation and Inter-Agency Coordination for Hajj Flights

According to official statistics from the Ministry of Information and Culture, Hajj, and Religious Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, Afghanistan’s quota this year was around 30,000 pilgrims. This extensive logistical operation was managed through 97 organized flights over the course of a month. The successful implementation of this structural program resulted from collaborative coordination between the Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, and domestic airlines, which efficiently provided the necessary transportation services across four international airports in the country. Notably, the Taliban has also sought enhanced support for Afghan pilgrims, which reflects their ongoing commitment to facilitating international travel for Afghan citizens. Taliban Officials Seek Enhanced Support for Afghan Pilgrims Traveling to Iraq.