JEDDAH: The first batch of 2,000 Chechen pilgrims arrived on Tuesday with 200 flying in Madinah from Grozny. About 18,000 more from the Russian Republic are expected for this year’s Haj.
“This is the first international flight to take off from Grozny airport,” said Russian Consul General Sergey Kuznestsov. “There will be more Haj pilgrims arriving in the future through different routs to Saudi Arabia.”
Chechnya’s President Ramzan Kadyrov saw the pilgrims off at the airport. The airport was closed for more than 10 years due to fighting in Chechnya. The rest of the pilgrims will be arriving in the coming eight days, mainly from the Russian Republic in the Caucasus, many others will come through the northern land routes to Saudi Arabia.
Kuznestsov added that seven more flights will be arriving carrying at least 2,000 pilgrims to Madinah.
