Around 500 war-injured Syrians sponsored by a Saudi benefactor, Prince Abdulaziz, departed on a journey to participate in Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Prince Abdulaziz covers the costs of travel, accommodation, the issuance of travel documents, and Hajj acceptance permits. This is the second consecutive year that he has sponsored the pilgrimage for Syrian pilgrims. The Syrians injured in the war expressed their joy and gratitude for receiving a chance to fulfill their dream of performing Hajj. Ismail al-Masri lost his leg in the war and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to visit the sacred house of Allah. He dreamt of going for Hajj but due to his financial constraints, he never imagined it could come true. Hassan Ghazawi, who lost both his legs, said he would pray for every Muslim to have the means to perform the Hajj rituals, especially the people in northern Syria. Prince Abdulaziz kept his identity a secret for a long time and was known as the philanthropist Abu Turki in northern Syria before he revealed himself last year.
