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Rabat – Saudi Arabia announced on Friday that no major security issues were reported during the 2017 Hajj season, according to France Press Agency (AFP).
The Saudi authorities mobilized more than 100,000 security enforcement officers in order to ensure a safe pilgrimage, as over 2 million Muslim are participating in the 2017 pilgrimage to Mecca, said Saudi state news agency SPA.
On Friday, pilgrims completed the first part of the Stoning of the Devil ritual in the western city of Mina. An intense security operation was put in place in order to ensure the safety of pilgrimage-goers.
In 2015, 2,300 pilgrims were killed in a fatal stampede during the Stoning of the Devil rituals.
Translated as Rami al-Jamarat, the stoning ritual is part of the pilgrimage‘rituals. During this ritual, pilgrimage-goers throw pebbles (Jamrat) at three walls in the city of Mina, east of Mecca.
Speaking to the media, Saudi officials affirmed that the ongoing pilgrimage to Mecca is experiencing a successful season.
Mansour al-Turki, Saudi Major General and an interior ministry spokesman said during a press conference that Saudi Arabia was determined to ensure a “smooth” pilgrimage.
Sami al-Shweirekh, colonel of Saudi Arabia’s General Security said that “the state’s security plan for ‘Nafra’ [the ritual return from Mina to Mecca] has met the required standard.”
Meshaal al-Rabiyan, a health ministry spokesman said that “until now, there are no severe diseases reported.”
