Qatar has accused Saudi Arabia of barring its citizens from this year’s hajj, something Riyadh denies, saying a diplomatic dispute is not stopping Qataris from making the pilgrimage to Mecca. Abdullah Al-Kaabi of the state-run Qatar National Human Rights Committee said Saudi Arabia had shut down an electronic system used by travel agencies to obtain permits for pilgrims from Qatar. “There is no chance this year for Qatari citizens and residents to travel for hajj,” he told Reuters. Last year, 1,624 Qatari pilgrims attended, he said. Saudi Arabia has said Qatari pilgrims can arrive on any airline other than Qatar Airways.

Source: Egypt Independent August 18, 2018 09:33 UTC