Ouagadougou: The first flight of the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage took off in the early hours of Wednesday morning at 3:07 a.m., carrying 341 passengers, AIB observed at Ouagadougou International Airport. The inaugural flight was attended by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Emile Zerbo, who offered advice and wished the pilgrims a safe journey.

According to Burkina Information Agency, this first day also marks the launch of two other flights from Ouagadougou International Airport, scheduled for 3:55 a.m. and 9:50 p.m. respectively. In total, 23 flights are scheduled from the two international airports of Burkina Faso: 17 flights from Ouagadougou for 7,471 pilgrims and 6 flights from Bobo-Dioulasso for 2,052 pilgrims.

For many faithful, this departure is a relief, allowing them to travel to Saudi Arabia to fulfill the fifth pillar of Islam. Razack Kanazoe, who is making his first pilgrimage to Mecca, expressed his satisfaction at leaving the country to fulfill this pillar of Islam. "With the Umrah and the crises, many thought there would be no Hajj this year. Thank God, we are going to take off and we will pray for the return of peace to Burkina Faso," he stated.

Awa Kiemtore confided that it is thanks to her children that she will be visiting the holy land for the first time. "May God continue to bless them and may every parent have the grace to perform the Hajj," she wished.