Due to the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East, temporary travel restrictions have been imposed on citizens of Kyrgyzstan for performing Umrah — the minor pilgrimage. This measure was reported by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan (Muftiyat).
According to information from the Muftiyat, an important meeting took place on March 7 at the building of the Spiritual Administration, attended by representatives from the Security Council Secretariat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations under the President, as well as representatives from the State Civil Aviation Service and tourism companies.
The meeting discussed urgent measures being taken by Kyrgyz state authorities in response to the situation in the Middle East. Participants emphasized that the safety of Kyrgyz citizens must remain a priority until the situation stabilizes.
During the discussion, measures to ensure the safety of Kyrgyz citizens in Saudi Arabia were also considered, including issues related to their return to their homeland. This concerns those citizens who traveled to the country to perform Umrah and found themselves in a difficult situation.
As a result of the meeting, it was decided to temporarily restrict travel for Kyrgyz citizens to perform Umrah until the situation normalizes. Tourism companies and airlines were recommended to suspend the organization of such trips.
Airlines such as Jazeera Airways, Flynas, Air Arabia, and others have begun considering the possibility of resuming suspended flights depending on the situation.
In its statement on March 3, the Muftiyat had already urged Kyrgyz citizens to refrain from traveling for Umrah until the conflicts in the Persian Gulf are resolved.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of March 2, about 22,000 citizens of Kyrgyzstan were in the Persian Gulf countries. Of these, nearly 10,000 were in the United Arab Emirates, about 800 in Qatar, more than 5,000 in Saudi Arabia, and about 100 in Israel. Additionally, approximately 1,000 Kyrgyz citizens are in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
According to a statement from the President's Press Secretary Aska Alagozov on March 7, 134 citizens remaining in Qatar will be returned to Kyrgyzstan on March 8 via Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, two flights brought 260 Kyrgyz citizens from the United Arab Emirates and 210 from Saudi Arabia to Bishkek and Osh. An additional 85 citizens returned from Oman.
On February 28, a joint military operation by the USA and Israel against Iran began, to which Iran responded with airstrikes not only against Israel but also against the territories of other countries in the region.
The record "Travel Restrictions for Performing Umrah — Minor Pilgrimage Temporarily Imposed in Kyrgyzstan" first appeared on the K-News website.
