SOCIETY — April 18, 2026
First Caravan of Afghan Pilgrims Arrives in Saudi Arabia
The first caravan of 346 Afghan pilgrims from Nangarhar province arrived in Medina, Saudi Arabia. They were welcomed by Sheikh Abdul Fattah Haqqani, the Islamic Emirate's ambassador to Riyadh, and other officials, and will perform 40 prayers at the Prophet's Mosque over eight days while visiting holy sites.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with RTA — corroborated by Bakhtar News — 2 min read
The arrival of the first caravan of Afghan pilgrims in Saudi Arabia has been announced by the Ministry of Hajj and Endowments.
This initial group consists of 346 pilgrims from Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan. The pilgrims departed from Kabul International Airport and arrived at Medina Munawwara Airport on the morning of 29 Hamal.
A welcoming party was on hand to greet the pilgrims. The delegation included Sheikh Abdul Fattah Haqqani, the ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to Riyadh, along with officials from the Islamic Emirate's consulate in Jeddah, representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hajj council representatives from Mecca and Medina, and ministry officials.
After the reception, the pilgrims were transported to their designated accommodation in buildings located in the central area of Medina's sacred shrine, placing them near the Prophet's Mosque.
The group is scheduled to spend eight days and nights in Medina, during which they will perform 40 prayers in the Prophet's Mosque. They will also visit other holy sites according to the prepared plans.
Read the original reporting at RTA →
Reliability assessment
Both Bakhtar News and RTA independently corroborate the core event based on the Ministry of Hajj and Endowments' official announcement, with highly consistent key details on numbers, location, welcome party, and planned activities. Minor phrasing and naming variations are normal and do not undermine the shared facts.
The source language reads straight.
Independent web corroboration
An independent web search turned up no separate corroborating reports. Treat the account as single-sourced until more outlets pick it up.
Across the newsrooms
Where reports agree
- The first caravan of Afghan pilgrims arrived in Medina, Saudi Arabia on the reported morning date
- The group size is 346 pilgrims from Nangarhar province
- The Ministry of Hajj and Endowments announced the arrival and related details
- Specific officials including Ambassador Sheikh Abdul Fatah Haqqani and OIC/Jeddah/Hajj representatives were present for the welcome
- Pilgrims were accommodated in central Medina shrine buildings and will perform 40 prayers in the Prophet's Mosque over 8 days while visiting holy sites
Where reports differ
- Minor variation in ministry name ('Guidance, Hajj and Endowments' in Bakhtar vs 'Propagation, Hajj and Endowments' in RTA)
- Slight spelling difference for the ambassador's name (Abdul Fatah Haqqani vs Abdul Fattah Haqqani)
- Bakhtar explicitly mentions departure from Kabul International Airport; RTA does not specify the departure airport
Filed by 2 outlets
RTA
Originating
Reported straight
Reported straight
Bakhtar News
Reported straight
Reported straight
Filed under
Society — Hajj, Afghan Pilgrims, Medina, Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Hajj
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