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Sudanese Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Improved Security in Sudan Led to Increase in Hajj Pilgrims

Members of the Sudanese Hajj mission welcome Sudanese pilgrims upon their arrival in the holy city of Makkah. (Sudanese Hajj mission)
Members of the Sudanese Hajj mission welcome Sudanese pilgrims upon their arrival in the holy city of Makkah. (Sudanese Hajj mission)
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Sudanese Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Improved Security in Sudan Led to Increase in Hajj Pilgrims

Members of the Sudanese Hajj mission welcome Sudanese pilgrims upon their arrival in the holy city of Makkah. (Sudanese Hajj mission)
Members of the Sudanese Hajj mission welcome Sudanese pilgrims upon their arrival in the holy city of Makkah. (Sudanese Hajj mission)

Dr. Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Secretary of Sudan’s Hajj and Umrah Secretariat, said the improvement of the security situation in several regions in his country led to an increase in the number of pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he revealed that 11,500 Sudanese pilgrims, from stable and unstable regions, will perform the Hajj in 2025.

Before the eruption of the war in April 2023, some 32,000 Sudanese people were able to perform the Hajj.

Abdel Wahab said insecurity and instability, as well as the dangers of traveling through some airports in Sudan, have discouraged people from going on the Hajj in the past two years.

The latest improved security, most notably in Khartoum, White Nile, Blue Nile, Sennar and others, has helped increase the number of pilgrims this year, he stressed.

They travel to Saudi Arabia mainly through Port Sudan’s Suakin sea port and airport. The flight to Jeddah by air takes no more than 45 minutes and around ten hours by sea.

Travelers from West Darfur, totaling 48, will arrive in Jeddah via Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa given the instability in the state, he went on to say.

Moreover, he said all procedures are being carried out electronically, adding that this advancement was possible through the hard work of several government entities.

Abdel Wahab praised Saudi authorities for the warm welcome they have accorded the Sudanese pilgrims, saying it has become expected given the Saudi people’s hospitality and keenness of officials on facilitating the pilgrims’ journey from the moment they arrive in the Kingdom until their departure.

Saudi Arabia has dedicated all human and financial means to service the Hajj pilgrims, he added.

The services have been advancing year after year on all technical levels, he noted, saying this has made the Hajj a very smooth journey.

Politically, he hailed Saudi Arabia on its efforts to ease tensions between rival Sudanese parties, reflecting its keenness on restoring security and stability in his country.

Saudi Arabia has for decades supported Sudan on the political, social and humanitarian levels, Abdel Wahab said.

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Gulf

Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Decision to Lift Sanctions on Syria, Congratulates Damascus

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
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Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Decision to Lift Sanctions on Syria, Congratulates Damascus

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Friday a US decision to lift sanctions imposed on Syria pursuant to the Caesar Act, affirming that this step will contribute to supporting the country’s stability, prosperity, and development in a manner that fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the Kingdom commended the significant and positive role played by US President Donald Trump, beginning with his announcement to lift all sanctions imposed on Syria during his historic visit to Riyadh in May 2025, and culminating in his signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, which included the repeal of the Caesar Act.

The Kingdom also extended its sincere congratulations to the Syrian leadership, government, and people on the lifting of all sanctions imposed on Syria.

The statement expressed Saudi Arabia’s appreciation for the steps taken by the Syrian government to restore stability across all Syrian territories, create conducive conditions for rebuilding the state and economy, and facilitate the return of refugees and displaced persons.

Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Call with Foreign Minister II of Brunei Darussalam

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah -File Photo (Reuters)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah -File Photo (Reuters)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Call with Foreign Minister II of Brunei Darussalam

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah -File Photo (Reuters)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah -File Photo (Reuters)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held a phone call with Minister for Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

During the call, the two officials reviewed bilateral relations between their countries and discussed issues of common interest.

Gulf

King Salman Center Sets Up Camps for Displaced Gaza Residents

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has established the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, as displaced people struggle with the impact of war and cold weather (KSrelief)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has established the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, as displaced people struggle with the impact of war and cold weather (KSrelief)
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King Salman Center Sets Up Camps for Displaced Gaza Residents

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has established the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, as displaced people struggle with the impact of war and cold weather (KSrelief)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has established the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, as displaced people struggle with the impact of war and cold weather (KSrelief)

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) said it has set up the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah in Gaza, as thousands of Palestinians displaced by the war grapple with harsh winter conditions brought by a cold and rainy weather system this week.

Fahad Al-Osaimi, the center’s director of emergency relief, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the camp is sheltering more than 200 displaced families, with the number of beneficiaries exceeding 2,000 women, children and elderly people whose homes and tents were damaged or destroyed by the war and recent weather conditions.

He said the center is currently operating under a rapid response mechanism to appeals received by its operations and emergency room in the Gaza Strip.

Al-Osaimi said two fully equipped camps were completed this week, and that preparations are underway to establish several additional camps in coordination with relevant United Nations agencies, based on assessed needs on the ground.

He said the camp is playing a critical role in providing refuge to hundreds of families whose tents were flooded or collapsed due to heavy rainfall, offering safer shelter that helps mitigate humanitarian risks, particularly for children, women and the elderly.

Al-Osaimi said the center’s efforts extend beyond emergency shelter, noting that work is ongoing to establish organized camps that meet international humanitarian response standards and to ensure they are supplied with essential services.

These services include blankets, shelter materials, clothing for women and children, sanitation facilities such as toilets, hygiene kits and cleaning supplies, in addition to other forms of relief assistance as needs arise.

He said the interventions form part of KSrelief’s sustained efforts to alleviate the suffering of displaced people in the Gaza Strip and bolster their resilience amid severe humanitarian and weather conditions.

The deteriorating weather has coincided with growing uncertainty over the future of the ceasefire agreement and the possibility of moving to its second phase. According to local and international organizations, living conditions for displaced people continue to worsen.

Against this backdrop, the establishment of the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah marks a fresh chapter in Saudi Arabia’s emergency response to Palestinians, particularly Gaza residents, since the outbreak of the war following Oct. 7, 2023, providing lifelines to more than 2,000 people facing mounting challenges.