Official figures show around 353,000 Kyrgyz fought in the war, with 150,000 receiving medals or decorations. Only 4,412 are still alive.

The Haj is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world that must be performed at least once by every able-bodied Muslim. It is a demonstration of the submission to Allah.

To make the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina from Kyrgyzstan costs about $3,000. The average monthly pension in the Central Asian country is $30.

--RIA Novosti

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