The number of international pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia for this year’s hajj has surpassed 1.5 million despite tensions and disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Saudi authorities disclosed the figures as thousands of Muslim faithful continued to arrive in the kingdom ahead of the commencement of the annual pilgrimage rites scheduled to begin on Monday.
The conflict, triggered by United States and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, had led to retaliatory attacks by Tehran on targets in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.
The situation resulted in major disruptions to air travel across the region, with several flights cancelled and travel costs rising sharply following temporary airspace closures.
However, major airlines operating in the Gulf region, including carriers in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, have gradually restored operations after weeks of interruptions.
Despite the challenges, pilgrims from different parts of the world have continued to troop into Saudi Arabia to observe one of Islam’s most important religious obligations.
“The total number of pilgrims arriving from abroad has reached 1,518,153,” Saleh Al-Murabba, Commander of Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Passport Forces, said during a press conference on Friday night.
Saudi officials said the figure is expected to increase further over the next two days as more pilgrims arrive before the formal commencement of hajj activities.
Statistics from last year showed that a total of 1,673,320 pilgrims participated in the hajj exercise, including 1,506,576 visitors from outside Saudi Arabia.
Hajj remains one of the five pillars of Islam and is compulsory for every Muslim who is physically and financially capable of undertaking the pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime.
Security and logistical arrangements have also been intensified by Saudi authorities to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage amid prevailing regional tensions.
