Damascus: Authorities say Syrians will not be able to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage this year because of a conflict with Saudi Arabia.
State-run news agency Sana says the Syrian side carried out all required procedures for the pilgrimage season scheduled to begin next month but said Saudi authorities failed to agree on details on time. Saudi authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
Countries normally agree on numbers of worshippers to travel to Makkah for the Haj ahead of time.
Syria-Saudi relations have deteriorated over Syria’s civil war.
Syria accuses Saudi Arabia of helping rebels seeking to topple President Bashar Al Assad. The kingdom has been fiercely critical of the Al Assad regime’s crackdown on the uprising.
