ISTANBUL

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday lauded the success of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage at a reception held at the Royal Court in Mina Palace, the SPA news agency reported.

Among the guests were Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi princes, senior officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, and military commanders involved in this year’s Hajj.

“The continued success we witness today in serving pilgrims is the result of the efforts of our blessed state in serving the Two Holy Mosques, the holy sites, and their visitors,” the crown prince said.

"We will continue to exert every effort to provide comfort to the pilgrims."

Director of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami said 213,323 military and security personnel participated in the Hajj operation.

Separately, Interior Ministry spokesperson Col. Talal bin Al-Shalhoub told a press briefing that the smooth operation was due to crowd management, highlighting the integration of all agencies and pilgrims’ compliance with guidelines.

He emphasized that the key factor was the joint security and media campaign “No Hajj Without a Permit,” which helped prevent unauthorized access and overcrowding.

The six-day Hajj season began on Wednesday, and the final rituals will continue until Monday.

The Saudi General Authority for Statistics said the number of Hajj pilgrims this year reached 1.673 million, including 1.506 million who arrived from outside the kingdom.​​​​​​​

The Hajj pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of the Islamic faith, a ritual that must be performed by all Muslims, if financially viable, at least once in their lives.

It includes a number of rituals aimed at illustrating the fundamental concepts of Islam and commemorating the Prophet Abraham and his family's trials.​​​​​​​