Chechnya’s International Airport Opens After 15 Years for Hajj

By Lucian Kim

Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Chechnya began its first international flights in 15 years, sending off a plane filled with Muslims on the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

The Boeing 757 carrying more than 200 pilgrims took off from Grozny International Airport today, according to the Chechen government’s Web site.

“Today’s event is a great success for our people,” said Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, who saw off the 3 a.m. flight. More international destinations will be added soon, he said.

The Chechen capital Grozny was leveled during two wars against the federal government in Moscow, and domestic flights resumed only in 2007. Kadyrov, backed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, has rebuilt the city while wiping out resistance in a campaign criticized by human-rights groups.

Kadyrov has promoted a religious revival in traditionally Muslim Chechnya in an attempt to undermine the appeal of rebels vowing to establish an Islamic caliphate across the North Caucasus region. A total of seven planes carrying 2,000 Hajj pilgrims will fly to Saudi Arabia, the Chechen government said.

The first postal flights to Chechnya began in 1938, according to state-run news service Grozny Inform.