Millions of Umrah Pilgrims Stranded in Saudi Arabia Amid Regional Tensions

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — It is estimated that millions of umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia are facing uncertainty regarding their return home as airspace across several Middle Eastern nations has been closed as a consequence of US-Israeli military strikes against Iran. This situation has resulted in more than 20 airlines cancelling flights to and from the Middle East.

According to data from the Computerised System for Managing Umrah and Special Hajj (SISKOPATUH), currently 58,873 Indonesian umrah pilgrims remain in Saudi Arabia.

Puji Raharjo, Director General of Hajj and Umrah Administration at Indonesia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj), confirmed that the government is continuously conducting intensive monitoring regarding the dynamics of the regional situation.

Meanwhile, several Malaysian pilgrims, who were scheduled to return on Malaysian Airlines flights, have been forced to purchase new air tickets after replacement flights underwent schedule changes.

One pilgrim, Mohd Nasarudin Kassim, 57 years old, stated that flight MH159, scheduled to depart from Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport at 21:30 the following day (local time), has been cancelled and postponed to Wednesday.

“I purchased Saudi Airlines tickets using my own funds to return home quickly, and several others have done the same,” he said, as reported by Malay Mail on Monday (2 March).

Meanwhile, Muslim cricketer from Bangladesh Mushfiqur Rahim has been stranded in Jeddah following US military strikes against Iran, which triggered widespread disruptions to aviation services across the Gulf region. Rahim was travelling back to Bangladesh after completing his umrah pilgrimage when tensions in the Middle East escalated, forcing several nations to close their airspace.

Government Advisory for Indonesian Citizens to Postpone Umrah

Indonesia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has advised Indonesian citizens to postpone planned departures to the Holy Land for umrah in the near term. Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah (Wamenhaj) Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak emphasised that this advisory represents the government’s precaution in ensuring the safety of its citizens.

“Considering the uncertain conditions in the Middle East and the escalating tensions, we advise umrah pilgrims planning to depart in the near term to postpone their departure,” said the Wamenhaj in Jakarta on Sunday (1 March).