Ministry of Hajj and Umrah: 7,782 Umrah Pilgrims Have Returned Amid Middle East Tensions

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah notes that as many as 7,782 Umrah pilgrims have returned to Indonesia amid the conflicts in the Middle East. The figure represents the cumulative total from 28 February to 2 March. There are still pilgrims awaiting flight confirmations, particularly those using transit carriers.

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar emphasised that the safety of pilgrims is the government’s top priority. “We assure that the state is present. The safety of pilgrims is the top priority. We are continuing to coordinate intensively with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all relevant parties to ensure that pilgrims can return safely,” Dahnil said in a written statement on Wednesday (4 March).

Kemenhaj has also urged postponement of Umrah departures in the near term, taking into account the escalation of the situation and the results of inter-ministerial coordination.

Until the end of the Umrah season in April, more than 43,000 prospective pilgrims are scheduled to depart in the March-April period.

“We urge prospective Umrah pilgrims to delay departures for the time being. This step is taken solely for the safety and protection of the pilgrims,” he said.

He explained that to support the return process, Kemenhaj has prepared two schemes, namely requesting an increase in Garuda Indonesia’s fleet during the Ramadan period and preparing flight-schedule adjustments should the situation escalate.

“We are preparing a number of mitigation steps. If necessary, there will be fleet additions and route adjustments so that pilgrims can return to the homeland safely and on time,” he said.

On the other hand, Kemenhaj confirms that all Hajj service provisions for 2026 have been prepared earlier.

The government is optimistic that the 2026 Hajj operations can proceed as scheduled while continuing to prepare a number of anticipatory scenarios.

“We are preparing all service provisions earlier so that Hajj 2026 runs optimally. However, we are also preparing various mitigation scenarios as a prudent precaution,” Dahnil said.