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Over 1 million pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia for Hajj

Directorate General for Passports has announced a near-7% increase in arrivals compared to last year’s Hajj

by Staff Writer
Muslim pilgrims go through passport control upon their arrival at Jeddah airport. (AMER HILABI/AFP/Getty Images)
Muslim pilgrims go through passport control upon their arrival at Jeddah airport. (AMER HILABI/AFP/Getty Images)

The Directorate General for Passports has announced that over one million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

The 1,057,880 figures as of Wednesday represents an increase of 64,905 pilgrims – nearly 7 percent – compared to the same time last year.

According to the Saudi Press Agency,the directorate said that the number of pilgrims arriving by air reached 998,811, by land 48,515 pilgrims, and by sea 10,554.

Last month, Emirates said it is operating extra flights to Jeddah and Madinah to help facilitate travel for pilgrims heading to and from Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

Emirates said that it will be operating 33 additional flights to the two Saudi cities from this week until August 31  to support the journey for pilgrims expected to travel to the holy city of Makkah.

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