The first group of Somali pilgrims to arrive in Mecca on Thursday was verified by Mukhtar Robow, the country’s minister of endowment and religious affairs. For thousands of Somalis, this is the start of their Hajj pilgrimage journey.

This marks the commencement of the Hajj pilgrimage journey for thousands of Somalis.

Hajj, an annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, is one of Islam’s five pillars. Every year, millions of Muslims from all over the world go to Saudi Arabia to complete the religious obligations contained in Islamic teachings.

“We did adequate planning ahead of the Hajj period which has been largely successful. This is a momentous occasion for our country and our people,” said Minister Robow.On Thursday, 500 pilgrims touched down in Saudi Arabia, with 11,000 Somalis anticipated to participate in this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca.The number excludes Muslim faithful from the Federal Member State of Puntland which withdrew from Somalia’s 2024 Hajj pilgrimage.The semi-autonomous Federal member state cited concerns of purported black market trading of pilgrimage slots and the politicization of the pilgrimage process by the Federal Government as the basis for their withdrawal.