Syrian pilgrims take direct flight to Saudi Arabia after 12 years

RIYADH – After a gap of 12 long years, the pilgrims from war-torn Syria took direct flight to land in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage.

The direct flight on Tuesday marks the end of 12 years of isolation since the civil war began and wreaked havoc upon the people in Muslim-majority Syria.

The development follows detente between the two countries as the diplomatic relations were restored last year. The direct flight took 270 Syrian pilgrims to Jeddah and more flights are expected in the coming days.

The flight that took off from Damascus was a first after all (passenger) flights between the two countries came to a halt in 2012. The direct flight is limited to the Hajj period only as both countries are exploring the option of opening the direct air route.

Though the progress has been slow, both countries are on track to cement ties. Saudi Arabia named a new ambassador to Damascus on Sunday in what could be taken as a positive development for the future of ties between the two countries.

The government of Saudi Arabia is currently finalizing arrangements for the Hajj season and is set to welcome over 2 million pilgrims from across the world. The Interior Ministry of the kingdom has also started a new digital ID service for pilgrims traveling to perform Hajj from different countries this year. 

The  Ministry of Interior states that the new digital ID for pilgrims has been developed with the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which ensures that pilgrims can confirm their identity using digital Absher and Tawakkalna platforms. 

The government is introducing several measures to help the pilgrims perform religious journey with ease and comfort. The Saudi government has also introduced a new call center ‘1966’ for pilgrims to increase communication and to help them perform the religious ritual without any hassle. The call center supports nine languages to provide a prime experience for pilgrims from around the globe and interestingly it also supports Urdu language.