King Salman Says Serving Hajj Pilgrims is a Pride Upheld by Saudi Arabia for all Time

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Receives Officials, SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Receives Officials, SPA
TT

King Salman Says Serving Hajj Pilgrims is a Pride Upheld by Saudi Arabia for all Time

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Receives Officials, SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Receives Officials, SPA

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz reaffirmed on Friday that serving Hajj pilgrims is a national tradition the Kingdom will uphold years on end.

“I hope God will accept the pilgrim’s pilgrimage. May every year find you in good health,” he added.

Speaking from Mina, King Salman said that Saudi Arabia will save no effort in bolstering its security, defending its stability, and preserving its interests. He also said that the Kingdom takes pride in having Islam’s two holy mosques resting on Saudi land, and that the title ‘Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ is held by Kingdom rulers since founder monarch King Abdulaziz.

King Salman had Thursday evening to oversee services that have been put in place for pilgrims during Hajj.

Around two million pilgrims gathered in Mina to follow in the footsteps of noble Prophet Mohamed to perform one of the key pillars of the Hajj.

The pilgrims stood at Mount Arafat until sunset on the ninth day of the Hijri month Dhu’l-Hijjah.

Mount Arafat is the place where the prophet Muhammad gave one of his last famous sermons on Islam and Allah.

After the Day of Arafat comes the beginning of Eid al-Adha.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz, also the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, received at Mina Palace’s Royal Court on Friday princes, the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, scholars, sheikhs, senior officials of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States, ministers and commanders of military sectors participating in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.

Kingdom Scouts Leaders participating in Hajj attended the hosting and had went to greet and congratulate the King on Eid al-Adha.

“I congratulate you and the pilgrims of the Grand Holy Mosque on the blessed Eid al-Adha, praying to Allah to accept the good deeds and return the Eid to the Islamic nation with goodness and blessings,” said King Salman at the reception.



Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
TT

Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis. He expressed Saudi Arabia’s openness to international initiatives aimed at bringing peace to Sudan.
At the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan, held in Djibouti, Al-Khuraiji discussed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis.
He mentioned that Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the United States, facilitated talks between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, leading to the Jeddah Declaration on May 11, 2023, which aimed to protect civilians.
Al-Khuraiji also noted the continuation of talks with the involvement of the African Union and IGAD, emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s support for African-led solutions.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to restoring stability in Sudan and urged all parties to act with wisdom, show restraint, and support positive initiatives.
Al-Khuraiji also met with EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber, on the sidelines of the consultative meeting.
In separate meetings, he also met with the UN Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, and US Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello.
During these meetings, they reviewed the latest developments in Sudan, explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, and discussed topics of mutual interest.
The Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum) expressed support for international and regional meetings, hoping they would bring positive results to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people.
They urged the need that discussions focus on ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in need, protecting civilians, and achieving an immediate ceasefire.
Taqaddum highlighted the importance of international legal frameworks for civilian protection and safe passageways during the conflict.
They called on international and regional partners to quickly bring both sides back to negotiations, build on the Jeddah agreements, and secure a binding ceasefire with effective monitoring.
Taqaddum also stressed the need for a unified negotiation platform to achieve peace.