Salima Mabrouk

The first batch of Libya’s pilgrims has arrived home after performing this year’s Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), the fifth pillar of Islam.

Two flights landed at Mitiga Airport in Tripoli on Thursday while a third one landed at Labrag Airport in east Libya on Friday.

Around 8000 Libyan Hajis performed the pilgrimage this year with only one pilgrim was reported dead due to old age.

In a funny story, a Libyan woman was denied entry upon arrival at Jeddah Airport because of her old age. The Libyan Pilgrims Welfare Committee said Saudi authorities found it difficult to allow Salima Mabrouk, 101, to enter because the airport records system does not accept people over 100 of age.

To settle the dilemma and allow her to enter, the Saudi authorities registered her as a baby girl born in 2015, instead of her actual date of birth, which is January 01, 1915.