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The third and final batch of 262 Sierra Leonean home-based Hajj pilgrims arrived safely at the Freetown International Airport in Lungi at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, bringing to a close the return of Sierra Leoneans who traveled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage.
The arrival marks the completion of the repatriation of home-based pilgrims who undertook the annual Islamic pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam. The pilgrims returned after completing the various Hajj rituals in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
The final group follows the successful return of earlier batches of Sierra Leonean pilgrims over the past several days. The first batch arrived in Sierra Leone shortly after the conclusion of the Hajj rites, with government officials, religious leaders, family members, and well-wishers welcoming the pilgrims back home.
The second batch subsequently landed at the Freetown International Airport, continuing the phased return operation coordinated between Sierra Leonean authorities and relevant stakeholders involved in the pilgrimage exercise.
Throughout the Hajj period, Sierra Leonean pilgrims joined millions of Muslims from around the world in performing the sacred rites, including prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, standing at Arafat, and other key religious observances associated with the pilgrimage.
The successful return of all three batches concludes Sierra Leone’s participation in the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage and marks the end of the journey for the home-based pilgrims who traveled to Saudi Arabia for the annual religious exercise.
With the arrival of the final 262 pilgrims in the early hours of Wednesday, all scheduled home-based Sierra Leonean pilgrims who participated in the 2026 Hajj have now returned home, bringing the country’s Hajj return operations to a successful conclusion.
