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1.4m Hajis reach Saudi

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More than 1.4 million Muslims have so far arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Haj, authorities said on Thursday, with the annual pilgrimage marked by the return of Iranians after Tehran’s boycott last year.


More than two million people are expected to participate in this year’s Haj, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once in their lives, which starts next week.


“So far 1,313,946 pilgrims have arrived by air, 79,501 by land, and 12,477 by sea — an increase of 33 per cent compared with the same period last year,” the state-run Saudi Press Agency said, citing passport officials. That includes more than 400 Qatari pilgrims, local media reported. All Qatari pilgrims arrived through the Salwa border crossing with Qatar.


The Saudi media has repeatedly broadcast images showing officials courteously assisting Qatari pilgrims.


A total of 12,664 Omanis, 300 Arabs and 300 non-Arabs from Oman are performing Haj this year.


The Haj ministry has said the kingdom, home to Islam’s holiest sites, welcomes all pilgrims from different nationalities.


The ministry added it was equipped to handle the additional crowds after the completion of expansion works at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the most revered site in Islam. More than 1.8 million faithful took part in last year’s Haj.


But Iran’s 64,000 pilgrims stayed away for the first time in three decades after tensions between Riyadh and Tehran boiled over following a deadly stampede during the 2015 pilgrimage.


An agreement was reached earlier this year to allow Iranians to take part in the Haj. Iran and Saudi Arabia will soon exchange diplomatic visits, Tehran said this week, in a possible sign of tensions easing after the arch rivals cut ties last year. — AFP


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