Uzbek Pilgrims Return to Mecca as Hajj Flights Resume

After a suspension triggered by regional tensions, Uzbekistan has reopened the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca for its citizens. Starting May 2, Saudi carrier FlyAdeal began flying pilgrims from Uzbekistan to Saudi Arabia, while national airline Uzbekistan Airways will handle their return trips, the Uzbekistan Muslim Board confirmed.

The pilgrimage, known as Umrah or the lesser Hajj, was halted in early March when violence escalated across the Middle East. At that time, Uzbekistan evacuated roughly 25,000 citizens from the region, including more than 21,000 from Saudi Arabia alone. The decision to resume came as conditions stabilized, though the broader geopolitical situation remains fragile.

On Tuesday, the first group of pilgrims departed from Tashkent International Airport. “We are sending our fellow citizens on a blessed journey,” a board spokesperson said. FlyAdeal will transport them to Medina, and Uzbekistan Airways will bring them home. Previously, Uzbekistan Airways operated both legs of the trip.

From now until May 18, pilgrims will fly directly from nine airports across the country: Tashkent, Namangan, Fergana, Andijan, Samarkand, Bukhara, Karshi, Termez, and Urgench. The flights run daily, reflecting strong demand for the spiritual journey.

The original suspension followed U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets in late February, which killed over 3,000 people. A temporary ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took hold in early April, but talks in Islamabad ended without a lasting deal. The U.S. has since imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, though active fighting has not resumed.