The first group of Somali Pilgrims comprising 587 members on Saturday departed to Jeddah city in Saudi Arabia, in order to perform Hajj 2023 according to the Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs of the Federal Government of Somalia.
The Ministry said that the 422 passengers left from Mogadishu and 165 others left from Hargeysa this morning, while other flights are expected to depart to either Jeddah or Mecca cities in the following days.
The Hajj is one of the world’s largest annual mass gatherings, and this year the season is expected to occur between 26 June – 01 July. Due to the vast number of attendees, who are generally in very close proximity, this event has previously been associated with unique public health risks.
Approximately two million Muslims from more than 183 countries make Hajj each year to Saudi Arabia. Most international pilgrims fly into Jeddah or Medina and take a bus to Mecca. Pilgrims travel by foot or bus approximately five miles (8 km) to the tent city of Mina, the largest temporary city in the world, where most stay in air-conditioned tents.
