MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd March, 2019) Saudi Arabia has been preventing Syrians living on the territories controlled by the Syrian government from performing the Hajj pilgrimage for the eighth year in a row, a source in the Syrian Ministry of Awqaf told al-Sumaria broadcaster.
"The Hajj Ministry of Saudi Arabia has not allowed Syrians, living on the territories under the authorities' control, to participate in the Hajj, while it has concluded an agreement with the so-called opposition coalition ... The situation is the same as during the previous seven years," the source told the Iraqi broadcaster, referring to the Turkey-based National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.
Saudi Arabia's authorities use a quota system to determine how many pilgrims from each country are allowed to participate in the Hajj each year.
Apart from banning Syrians from engaging in the pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia has also been barring the nationals of Qatar, its adversary in the region, from visiting its holy sites.
Media have reported last June, that the International Committee for Observing Hajj Administration had condemned Riyadh for preventing Syrians and Qataris from participating in the pilgrimage, which is considered a duty for every Muslim.
This year, the Hajj will be held on August 9-14.
