ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday extended his congratulations to Muslims in the Region, across Iraq, and around the world on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, while also wishing for the safe return of pilgrims performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia this year.
“On the occasion of the blessed Eid al-Adha, I extend my warmest congratulations to all Muslims in Kurdistan, Iraq, and around the world,” the Kurdish leader said in a post on X, adding, “I pray to Almighty God that this holiday brings goodness, joy, and prosperity to everyone. I wish you all a peaceful and restful break.”
President Barzani also wished for the “safe return of the beloved pilgrims of Kurdistan,” adding, “May Almighty God accept everyone’s Hajj, and I wish them a happy Eid.”
Eid al-Adha is the most significant of the two main Islamic holidays set to be celebrated on Wednesday this year. It coincides with the final rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and commemorates the Quranic account of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.
To mark the four-day holiday, observant Muslims traditionally sacrifice livestock and distribute the meat among family, friends, and those in need, underscoring the faith’s core tenets of charity, equality, and communal unity.
Meanwhile, Hajj is the mandatory Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia that every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must perform at least once in their lifetime.
Authorities across the Kurdistan Region say tourists from central and southern Iraq have already begun reserving hotels and tourist accommodations ahead of the holiday, with Duhok reporting that around 70 percent of its hotels are already booked.
He added that officials expect a much larger influx of visitors than during Eid al-Fitr, when tourism numbers declined due to the US-Israel war with Iran that began in late February, days after the start of the Islamic lunar month of Ramadan.
“Compared to Eid al-Fitr, we expect many more tourists because the war has ended, schools are on break, and it is the spring season, making it the most ideal time for visitors to arrive,” he added.
Meanwhile in Erbil, tourism officials also forecast a strong holiday season. Shukr Aziz, deputy head of the Erbil branch of the association, told Rudaw that authorities are preparing to accommodate larger crowds.
“We anticipate the arrival of significantly more tourists this Eid compared to Eid al-Fitr,” Aziz said.