Spanish Muslims retrace ancient Hajj route on horseback from Andalusia to Mecca

CAIRO (AP) — Three Spanish pilgrims performing the Hajj in Saudi Arabia rode on horseback to Mecca, 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, Turkey, Syria and Jordan to arrive in Saudi Arabia in May.

It was an emotional moment for the trio when they reached Mecca. 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 Kaaba, the black cube structure in the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

“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 Mecca. "We were in front of the Kaaba and had the opportunity to touch it. So, that 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."

Pilgrims, including three from Spain, ride their horses through 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 Photo/Omar Albam)

Pilgrims, including three from Spain, ride their horses through 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 Photo/Omar Albam)

Pilgrims, including three from Spain, visit the Umayyad Mosque during a months-long horseback journey from Spain to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, in Damascus, Syria, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

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 Photo/Omar Albam)

The Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights added an offensive element to their blue line by acquiring defenseman Rasmus Andersson in a trade Sunday with the Calgary Flames.

In parting ways with a player eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, the Flames acquired veteran defenseman Zach Whitecloud, defensive prospect Abram Wiebe, a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 draft and a conditional second-rounder in 2028. The Flames also agreed to retain 50% of the remainder of Andersson’s salary in the final season of a six-year, $27.3 million contract.

“To be able to get it done with Vegas, they were willing to do it and do it without a contract because that was one thing that was made clear to us just in the last, maybe 12 hours, was there wasn’t going to be an extension signed with any of the teams,” Flames general manager Craig Conroy said. “That definitely changed the way we had to negotiate and what we got back in return.”

It’s the latest aggressive move made by the Golden Knights after acquiring high-scoring forward Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade deal with Toronto this offseason.

The 29-year-old Andersson, selected to represent Sweden at the Milan Cortina Games next month, was regarded as one of the highly prized candidates on the trade market. He’s spent all 10 NHL seasons with Calgary since being selected by the Flames in the second round of the 2015 draft.

Andersson has reached at least 30 points in each of his past four seasons, and already reached the plateau this year 10 goals and 20 assists. Overall, Andersson has 57 goals and 261 points in 584 NHL games.

The puck-moving player joins a Vegas defensive group missing Alex Pietrangelo, who stepped away from hockey due to health issues last summer, and with Brayden McNabb missing nine games with an upper-body injury.

Andersson is reunited with defenseman Noah Hanifin, who spent five-plus seasons in Calgary, before being traded to Vegas in March 2024.

Vegas has won seven straight, and coming off a 7-2 win over Nashville on Saturday night.

Whitecloud has two years left on a six-year, $16.5 million contract, and was one of the few remaining holdovers from the Golden Knights expansion season-roster in 2017-18. The 28-year-old was an undrafted free agent, has 23 goals and 78 points in 368 career games and won a Stanley Cup in 2023.

The Flames have won just three of eight, and sit 13th in the Western Conference standings, five points out of wild-card contention.

AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson in Las Vegas contributed to the report.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4) tangles with Boston Bruins center Alex Steeves (21) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Winnipeg Jets' Gabriel Vilardi (13) looks to make a pass as Vegas Golden Knights' Zach Whitecloud (2) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4) handles the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)