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Spanish Muslims Retrace Ancient Hajj Travel Route on Horseback from Andalusia to Saudi Arabia

Pilgrims, including three from Spain, pose with their horses outside the Souq al-Hamidiyah market during their months-long horseback journey from Spain to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, in Damascus, Syria, April 21, 2025. (AP)
Pilgrims, including three from Spain, pose with their horses outside the Souq al-Hamidiyah market during their months-long horseback journey from Spain to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, in Damascus, Syria, April 21, 2025. (AP)
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Spanish Muslims Retrace Ancient Hajj Travel Route on Horseback from Andalusia to Saudi Arabia

Pilgrims, including three from Spain, pose with their horses outside the Souq al-Hamidiyah market during their months-long horseback journey from Spain to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, in Damascus, Syria, April 21, 2025. (AP)
Pilgrims, including three from Spain, pose with their horses outside the Souq al-Hamidiyah market during their months-long horseback journey from Spain to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, in Damascus, Syria, April 21, 2025. (AP)

Three Spanish pilgrims performing the Hajj in Saudi Arabia rode on horseback to Makkah, traveling thousands of kilometers in snow and rain and along a path they said had not been trekked for more than 500 years.

Abdelkader Harkassi Aidi, Tarek Rodriguez and Abdallah Rafael Hernandez Mancha set out from southern Spain in October, riding through France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Syria and Jordan to arrive in Saudi Arabia in May.

It was an emotional moment for the trio when they reached Makkah. No pilgrim had traveled this way since 1491, they said.

Harkassi said the group's path from Spain took them across about 8,000 kilometers (nearly 5,000 miles) before they reached the holy Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

"We had crossed so many kilometers to be there and Allah had replied to our wish," he told The Associated Press on Thursday from Arafat, southeast of Makkah. "We were in front of the Kaaba and had the opportunity to touch it. So, 8,000 kilometers became nothing."

During their monthslong journey they came across scenic stretches of nature and historical landmarks in Syria, including the Aleppo Citadel and the Umayyad Mosque.

They also found an old railway track built during the time of the Ottoman Empire that connected Istanbul to Saudi Arabia. They followed it for days to help guide them to the desert Kingdom.

But there were challenges, too. They lost their horses in Bosnia, only to find them later in a landmine zone. Nobody could fetch the horses because of the explosives, but the animals eventually made it out of the area unharmed, Harkassi said.

The human element of the trip was the most valuable for the team, he added.

"When we didn’t have anything, people helped us with our horses, with our food, they gave us money. When our assistance car got broken, they fixed it for us," Harkassi said. "People have been incredible. I think it’s proof that Muslims are united, that the one ummah (nation) that every Muslim longs for is a reality."

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Culture

Top Prosecutor: Louvre Heist Probe Still Aims to Recover Jewelry

FILE - People wait for the Louvre museum to open, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - People wait for the Louvre museum to open, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
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Top Prosecutor: Louvre Heist Probe Still Aims to Recover Jewelry

FILE - People wait for the Louvre museum to open, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - People wait for the Louvre museum to open, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

French investigators remain determined to find the imperial jewels stolen from the Louvre in October, a prosecutor has told AFP.

Police believe they have arrested all four thieves who carried out the brazen October 19 robbery, making off with jewelry worth an estimated $102 million from the world-famous museum.

"The interrogations have not produced any new investigative elements," top Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said this week, three months after the broad-daylight heist.

But the case remains a top priority, she underlined.

"Our main objective is still to recover the jewelry," she said.

That Sunday morning in October, thieves parked a mover's truck with an extendable ladder below the Louvre's Apollo Gallery housing the French crown jewels.

Two of the thieves climbed up the ladder, broke a window and used angle grinders to cut glass display booths containing the treasures, while the other two waited below, investigators say.

The four then fled on high-powered motor scooters, dropping a diamond-and-emerald crown in their hurry.

But eight other items of jewelry -- including an emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise -- remain at large.

Beccuau said investigators were keeping an open mind as to where the loot might be.

"We don't have any signals indicating that the jewelry is likely to have crossed the border," she said, though she added: "Anything is possible."

Detectives benefitted from contacts with "intermediaries in the art world, including internationally" as they pursued their probe.

"They have ways of receiving warning signals about networks of receivers of stolen goods, including abroad," Beccuau said.

As for anyone coming forward to hand over the jewels, that would be considered to be "active repentance, which could be taken into consideration" later during a trial, she said.

A fifth suspect, a 38-year-old woman who is the partner of one of the men, has been charged with being an accomplice but was released under judicial supervision pending a trial.

Investigators still had no idea if someone had ordered the theft.

"We refuse to have any preconceived notions about what might have led the individuals concerned to commit this theft," the prosecutor said.

But she said detectives and investigating magistrates were resolute.

"We haven't said our last word. It will take as long as it takes," she said.

Culture

Desert X AlUla Unveils Acclaimed Lineup of Saudi and Global Artists in 2026 Edition

Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks. SPA
Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks. SPA
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Desert X AlUla Unveils Acclaimed Lineup of Saudi and Global Artists in 2026 Edition

Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks. SPA
Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks. SPA

Arts AlUla has announced the lineup of Saudi and international artists participating in the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla, the international open-air art exhibition held in collaboration with Desert X.

Running from January 16 to February 28, the exhibition will feature an exceptional selection of specially commissioned artworks, ranging from large-scale installations and sound pieces that stretch across and beneath the desert landscape, to kinetic works and immersive interactive experiences.

The showcase reflects a deep connection to AlUla’s unique environment, its dramatic natural landscapes, and rich cultural heritage.

Desert X AlUla, the region’s first public art biennial, will feature 11 artists presenting diverse perspectives, materials, and artistic traditions in their large-scale works in its 2026 edition.

The program offers a delightful mix of performances and interactive family activities, alongside dedicated programs that blend sound, movement, storytelling, and play.

Also, the visitor pavilion will host a live music program curated in collaboration with AlUla Music Hub, creating moments where art, nature, and community converge in a shared experience shaped by rhythm and a strong sense of place.

Arts AlUla confirmed that Desert X AlUla 2026 will be open to the public.

Culture

Saudi Heritage Commission Announces Discovery of 20 Rock Engravings in Soudah Peaks Project

The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. (SPA)
The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. (SPA)
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Saudi Heritage Commission Announces Discovery of 20 Rock Engravings in Soudah Peaks Project

The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. (SPA)
The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission, in collaboration with Soudah Development, a Public Investment Fund company, announced on Tuesday the discovery of 20 ancient rock art sites within the Soudah Peaks area.

Spanning more than 636.5 square kilometers across Soudah and parts of Rijal Almaa, the project area is now recognized as home to some of the region’s oldest cultural landmarks. The newly identified sites feature inscriptions and rock carvings estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old, offering valuable insights into the region’s rich history.

The findings include Thamudic inscriptions, along with vivid depictions of ibex, hyenas, and ostriches, as well as scenes of hunters, dancers, palm trees, and weapons, reflecting the environmental and social practices of the ancient communities that once inhabited the area.

The survey forms part of a memorandum of understanding signed between the Heritage Commission and Soudah Development. Conducted in four scientific phases, the initiative began with data collection and site analysis, concluding with the documentation and classification of high-value archaeological sites in preparation for future development and preservation efforts.

Soudah Development remains committed to protecting and promoting the natural and cultural heritage of the project area. The company continues to work towards creating an integrated cultural and tourism experience that reflects the authenticity and historical richness of the region, in line with its vision to transform Soudah Peaks into a premier luxury mountain destination rooted in heritage.