The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) has reported that Hajj arrival statistics from the KSA General Authority of Civil Aviation. As of August 14, 705,000 pilgrims have arrived to perform Hajj 2017.
As directed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince, King Abdulaziz International Airport and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport have both stepped up on preparations to receive the growing number of pilgrims.
The SPA separately reported that the National Pilgrim-Guides Foundation for Arab countries received the vanguard of 4,500 Yemeni pilgrims in Makkah. They were received by the Yemeni Minister of Endowments and Guidance and Head of Yemeni Hajj Mission Dr Ahmed Atiyyah.
Dr Atiyyah commended the directives of the KSA government and the services to receive pilgrims. He said the full complement of Yemeni pilgrims should be in KSA by Dhulhijjah 2, 1438, estimated to be around 24 August 2017.
According to the SPA, the Turkish pilgrims guiding foundation has adopted the offered electronic guidance system for the Hajj. Traditionally, a leader guides a delegation at his discretion. With the electronic system, all movement to the Hajj rituals is systematic and organised.
In a workshop to explain the new system in Makkah, Majid Sibgha, the general supervisor for pilgrims guiding sector, said that under the new system Turkish pilgrims will leave their camps at a certain time, and follow preset routes to and from the Jamarat site.