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Holy Sites Ready to Receive 2.5 Million Hajj Pilgrims

Makkah and Madina are ready to recieve 2.5 million pilgrims. (SPA)
Makkah and Madina are ready to recieve 2.5 million pilgrims. (SPA)
    Makkah, Madina – Asharq Al-Awsat
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Holy Sites Ready to Receive 2.5 Million Hajj Pilgrims

Makkah and Madina are ready to recieve 2.5 million pilgrims. (SPA)
Makkah and Madina are ready to recieve 2.5 million pilgrims. (SPA)

The holy city of Makkah is preparing to host more than 2.5 million Hajj pilgrims, most of them non-Saudi, to perform this year’s rituals.

The pilgrimage will begin on Friday with pilgrims resting in the Mina region before heading to Arafah on Saturday.

According to figures from the General Directorate of Passports, 1,687,226 pilgrims from around the world have arrived in the Kingdom as of Sunday to perform the Hajj.

Concerned authorities in Makkah and Madina have taken the necessary preparations to ensure that the pilgrims perform the rituals smoothly and with ease.

The government has dedicated some 350,000 people to service the pilgrims, said Makkah region Governor Prince Khalid al-Faisal, who had toured Makkah and the holy sites on Sunday.

Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef had on Sunday overseen a military parade for Hajj security forces. He also inspected security preparations for the Hajj.

In Madina, 869,852 pilgrims have arrived in the city as of Monday, while 723,049 of them have departed for Makkah for the Hajj.

The Health Ministry has deployed its personnel for the Hajj, along with civil defense, general security and Red Crescent teams. They will operate around the clock to respond to any emergency.

More than 200 main services are being provided to the pilgrims, such as electricity and water, religious and media awareness campaigns and the issuing of permits.

The Development of Makkah Region Authority has also started to sell tickets for the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro line. The train is expected to service more than 2 million pilgrims, starting Friday. One ticket costs 250 riyals and grants pilgrims access throughout the Hajj. Other tickets are sold during the Days of al-Tashreeq at 50 riyals.

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Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister, Egyptian Counterpart Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
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Saudi Foreign Minister, Egyptian Counterpart Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call on Saturday from Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Dr. Badr Abdelatty.

They discussed the latest regional developments and agreed to maintain bilateral coordination and consultation on these issues.

Gulf

Albudaiwi: GCC States Consistently Seek to Enhance Global Security and Stability

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA
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Albudaiwi: GCC States Consistently Seek to Enhance Global Security and Stability

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi said that the GCC member states consistently seek to enhance security, stability, development, and prosperity to serve the mutual interests of the region's peoples and the entire world.

This comes in light of the rapid geopolitical shifts as well as growing security and economic challenges facing the globe, according to SPA.

During his participation in a panel session on GCC-European strategic links, held today in the Czech capital, Prague, on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC Global Security Forum 2026, the GCC secretary-general said: "The GCC General Secretariat’s participation in the GLOBSEC Global Security Forum 2026 embodies its keenness to maintain an active presence in regional and international forums. This engagement aims to bolster communication and exchange perspectives with international partners, decision-makers, and experts, thereby supporting efforts to maintain regional and international security while keeping pace with rapid global changes."

He also pointed out that the region has recently witnessed several events that have heavily impacted security and stability, adding that the GCC states have sustained their continuous diplomatic efforts to de-escalate and defuse tensions in the region, promoting paths of dialogue and diplomacy to protect regional security, stability, and the safety of its peoples.

The GCC secretary-general underscored the paramount importance of protecting the security of air and maritime corridors, ensuring freedom of navigation, the safety of supply chains, and the stability of global energy market.

"The stability of the Gulf region remains a fundamental pillar for the stability of the global economy and international maritime security," he reiterated.

Albudaiwi explained that recent developments have proven that the security of Europe and the Middle East has become unprecedentedly interconnected, asserting that any disruption in the Gulf region and its surrounding maritime passages directly affects the European economy, global energy security, supply chains, and international stability as a whole. He stressed that Gulf stability is no longer merely a regional matter, but has become a shared international interest.

Discussing the future of Gulf-European relations, Albudaiwi mentioned that both sides aspire to elevate their ties to broader horizons.

He added that the upcoming GCC-EU Summit will contribute to cementing cooperation across numerous fields and achieving the mutual interests of both parties, emphasizing the significance of reaching tangible results that serve both sides and elevate their ongoing cooperation.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia Says Will Not Allow Practices That Deviate Hajj from its Objectives

Security commanders are seen at the press conference in Makkah on Friday (Bashir Saleh)
Security commanders are seen at the press conference in Makkah on Friday (Bashir Saleh)
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Saudi Arabia Says Will Not Allow Practices That Deviate Hajj from its Objectives

Security commanders are seen at the press conference in Makkah on Friday (Bashir Saleh)
Security commanders are seen at the press conference in Makkah on Friday (Bashir Saleh)

Saudi Arabia said it would not allow the Hajj to be used for any activity that strays from its religious purpose, as more than 1.5 million pilgrims arrived from abroad by Friday afternoon.

He made his statement during a press conference by Hajj security commanders at the Unified Security Operations Center (911) in the Makkah region.

Officials outlined security, traffic, and organizational plans for this year’s holy pilgrimage, along with related instructions and guidelines.

Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, director of Public Security, said the Hajj security system was fully ready to carry out its duties.

“Our goal is for pilgrims to reach their destination, perform their rituals, and return home safely,” he stressed.

Al-Bassami said crowd management plans focused on regulating pilgrim flows and minimizing overlap between routes. Technology, he said, was playing a key role alongside security personnel on the ground.

He said authorities were prepared for various scenarios based on risk assessments, following extensive drills and field exercises to test the readiness of all security agencies.

Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Omari, commander of the Special Emergency Forces at the Presidency of State Security, described the security plans as “integrated, proactive and flexible.” He said security forces were deployed in the central area and the holy sites to protect pilgrims.

Maj. Gen. Dr. Hammoud Al-Faraj, director general of Civil Defense, said preparations for the Hajj season were complete.

“We trained all bodies involved in serving pilgrims on self-protection,” he said, adding that male and female volunteers were working alongside Civil Defense personnel across all tasks and operations.

Maj. Gen. Dr. Saleh Al-Murabba, commander of the Passports Forces for Hajj, said the “Makkah Route” initiative accounted for 30% of arriving pilgrims. He said 1,518,153 pilgrims had arrived from outside Saudi Arabia by Friday afternoon.