Security forces quickly intervened and asked the pilgrims to disperse after they blocked the road for about 15 minutes. The pilgrims told police that their return journey had been delayed for 10 days.

The pilgrims blamed the delay on their Iraqi agent who had promised them that they would be able to return to their home country on the day of Eid Al-Fitr, on Aug. 30.

“The agent told us that the delay was caused due to the flight arriving late and promised us we could travel the next day. But nothing happened. We heard only promises but nothing materialized,” said Mahmoud Kazim, one of the Iraqi pilgrims. He said the pilgrims had missed the opportunity to celebrate Eid with their families.

“We have been here for the last 10 days waiting for our return flights. The agent has not fulfilled his promise. We had presented a complaint to the authorities but with no result so far. That is the reason we gathered today on the street to invite the authorities' attention to our plight,” Kazim explained.

“We wanted the Saudi authorities to learn about our problem and solve it as quickly as possible in coordination with the Iraqi government to facilitate our return journey, even if by road,” he said.

Adel Balkhair, assistant undersecretary at the Haj Ministry, said there are about 3,000 Iraqi pilgrims still in Makkah.

He said the delay was caused by the Iraqi Haj and Umrah Commission and the country’s aviation authority.

“This problem started not today. We have been following up this issue for the last several days. The ministry has informed the General Authority of Civil Aviation in the Kingdom to contact their Iraqi counterpart in order to solve the problem quickly,” he said.

Balkhair said the ministry has made arrangements with Umrah service companies to provide the stranded Iraqi pilgrims with accommodation until they are able to return home.