During the Eid Al-Adha festivities, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted a gathering at Mina Palace, where he welcomed senior officials, religious scholars, military leaders, and Hajj representatives. This event marked an acknowledgment of the efforts contributed by various parties to ensure the success of this year’s pilgrimage. Acting on behalf of King Salman, the crown prince conveyed Eid greetings to the nation, including citizens, residents, and pilgrims. He expressed gratitude towards military personnel, security forces, government employees, and volunteers for their commitment to both serving the pilgrims and maintaining the Kingdom’s security.
In his address, the crown prince reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s deep-rooted responsibility to oversee the Two Holy Mosques and the sacred sites, highlighting the Kingdom’s unwavering dedication to upholding safety and stability. The reception saw attendance from numerous high-ranking officials, including representatives of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, ministers, and scout groups actively involved in facilitating Hajj operations.
Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, representing the security services, praised the effective execution of this year’s Hajj security strategies. He acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s continuous investments in pilgrim services, which have notably improved safety measures and operational efficiency. This year, the Kingdom is accommodating over 1.7 million pilgrims, with more than 1.54 million arriving from abroad and approximately 160,000 participating from within the country.
The authorities reported an increase in the number of pilgrims compared to the previous year, made possible by expanded infrastructure, enhanced digital services, and improved crowd-management systems at the holy sites of Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah. The Makkah Route Initiative also saw expansion, allowing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to complete immigration and customs processes before leaving their home countries, thus easing their arrival into Saudi Arabia.
In total, over 441,000 personnel, including security officers, healthcare workers, transport coordinators, and emergency responders, have been mobilized to support Hajj operations and ensure the safety of pilgrims. In a separate gesture of goodwill, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman exchanged Eid greetings with leaders across the Islamic world, expressing their hopes for ongoing peace, stability, and prosperity among Muslim nations.