Mirian Gom 
BAMAKO, Mali – EgyptAir has cancelled its Hajj flights to and from Mali, affecting more than 4,000 pilgrims amid escalating insecurity and rising aviation fuel costs.
The decision on Saturday follows recent large-scale attacks on military positions, which have destabilised key areas and disrupted access routes into the capital, Bamako.
Mali’s pilgrimage organising authority said the suspension was driven by “security concerns and the cost difference linked to rising kerosene prices,” acknowledging that the move has created anxiety among intending pilgrims.
Nearly one-third of Mali’s total Hajj quota of 13,323 pilgrims has been impacted by the disruption.
Officials said high-level discussions are ongoing to secure alternative arrangements and ensure pilgrims can travel under safe conditions.
“All arrangements are being made to ensure the pilgrims depart under the best possible conditions,” the agency stated.
The annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, expected to begin in the last week of May, draws millions of Muslims worldwide and remains a religious obligation for those with the means.
The crisis underscores how conflict and economic pressures are increasingly disrupting religious travel and mobility across fragile regions.
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