Hajj season: The Ministry of Interior reveals plans to protect crowds and secure the holy sites
The meeting was attended by the Director of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, His Excellency the Commander of the Special Emergency Forces at the Presidency of State Security, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Maqbool Al-Amri, the Director of Civil Defense, Major General Dr. Hamoud bin Suleiman Al-Faraj, and the Director General of Passports, Acting Commander of the Hajj Passports Forces, Major General Dr. Saleh bin Saad Al-Murabba, to review the security, traffic and organizational plans for the Hajj season of 1447 AH, and the related instructions and guidelines.
Hajj season
The Director of Public Security and Head of the Hajj Security Committee, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, affirmed the material and human resources provided by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the capabilities it has made available to all service agencies to implement and ensure the success of the plans related to serving the pilgrims of the Sacred House of God during the Hajj season.
He stated – at the press conference for the Hajj security forces leaders – “His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee – may God protect him – has approved the general plan for the tasks and responsibilities of the Hajj security forces for this year, 1447 AH, and the level of readiness and preparedness has been raised to implement the security, traffic, and organizational plans related to the movement of pilgrims.”
His Excellency the Director of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee stressed that one of the most important priorities of the Hajj security forces is to maintain the security and safety of the pilgrims of the Sacred House of God, during their performance of their rituals in the various holy sites until their departure and safe arrival to their countries, and that one of the requirements of this is to prevent irregular pilgrims from entering the holy sites, by imposing a security cordon on the entrances to Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the holy sites.
His Excellency Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami pointed out that the security authorities in various regions of the Kingdom are monitoring misleading advertisements that aim to defraud those wishing to perform Hajj through fake Hajj offices for domestic pilgrims, or those who claim to be able to perform Hajj on behalf of others. Those involved in these advertisements are apprehended and referred to the competent authorities to apply the law against them.
Hajj Security Forces
He emphasized that one of the tasks of the Hajj security forces is to apprehend those transporting pilgrims without permits and hand them over to the seasonal administrative committees at the General Directorate of Passports for the application of penalties.
He added that, according to Hajj regulations and instructions, the transporter is punished with imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to 50,000 riyals for each pilgrim without a permit, deportation if the transporter is a foreign national after serving the penalties, a ten-year ban from entering the Kingdom, and the confiscation of the vehicle used in the transport by court order.
His Excellency the Director of Public Security, Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee, noted the implementation of all preventive measures to prevent crime, combat pickpocketing, and any negative phenomena that affect the security and safety of the pilgrims of the Sacred House of God, and the application of the principle of prevention and safety for the pilgrims of the Sacred House of God through the movement of pilgrims inside the Grand Mosque, the central area and the holy sites, and working to balance the movement of traffic in the security control centers at the entrances to the city of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the holy sites and the roads leading to them.
Traffic management and organization
His Excellency the Director of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, said that the Hajj security forces are working to manage and organize traffic in the central area and the holy sites to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles and pedestrians, manage intersections and main roads, and are fully prepared to confront anything that may disrupt security or order and prevent all actions that affect the safety and security of the pilgrims.
For his part, His Excellency Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Maqbool Al-Amri, Commander of the Special Emergency Forces under the Presidency of State Security, affirmed the forces' full commitment to providing protection and maintaining order during this year's Hajj season (1447 AH).
This will be achieved through the implementation of precise field plans that include preventing infiltrators and those violating Hajj regulations and instructions who do not possess a valid Hajj permit from reaching the holy sites, and managing and organizing crowd movement in Arafat, at the Jamarat facility, and in the southern courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, in a manner that ensures smooth flow and safeguards the pilgrims.
Developing technology and artificial intelligence
Director General of Civil Defense, Major General Dr. Hamoud bin Suleiman Al-Faraj, stated that the Civil Defense forces in Riyadh, the Holy Sites, and Medina have completed their preparations and readiness in all aspects—preventive, awareness-raising, operational, and situation management—through the Operations Center at the Holy Sites and the Command and Control Center in Mina.
He commended the efforts of Civil Defense volunteers in Riyadh and the Holy Sites, as well as the role of government agencies in responding to emergencies according to the general emergency plan and coordinating their efforts through the Hajj Emergency Operations Center.
He also noted the introduction of technology and artificial intelligence being utilized by the Civil Defense forces during this year's Hajj.
Integrated services for pilgrims
The Director General of Passports and Commander of the Hajj Passport Forces, Major General Dr. Saleh bin Saad Al-Murabba, stated that the Directorate's participation is part of the Ministry of Interior's security sector's efforts during this year's Hajj season (1447 AH).
He highlighted a comprehensive plan to provide services to pilgrims, based on full preparedness to receive them through air, land, and sea ports, including those designated for the Makkah Route Initiative.
In addition to enforcing regulations and instructions against violators who transport unauthorized pilgrims, through seasonal administrative committees at the entrances to Mecca, support is provided to security and service agencies in the holy sites through on-the-ground presence. Furthermore, the departure of pilgrims after performing their rituals is organized and monitored by utilizing all available resources at all entry points.
The Acting Director General of Passports, who also commands the Hajj Passport Forces, added that the number of pilgrims arriving from outside the Kingdom has reached 1,518,153 to date. This includes 1,457,514 pilgrims arriving by air, 54,141 by land, and 6,497 by sea.
