JEDDAH: Hundreds of relatives of Yemeni and Sudanese soldiers killed in the war in Yemen are to be hosted in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, Saudi press agency reported.

The announcement was made on Monday by King Salman, who said that 1,500 relatives would be traveling to the Kingdom to perform the Islamic pilgrimage in Islam’s holiest city.

The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Sheikh said the King’s announcement showed his recognition of the “heroic sacrifices made by soldiers to defend the security and unity of Yemen and its territorial integrity from the domination of Iran.”

He added the decision was part of the ongoing efforts by Saudi Arabia and its allies to support the internationally recognized government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.

For his part, Saudi Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs for Mosques, Dawah and Guidance Dr. Tawfiq  Al-Sudairy expressed his gratitude to the Saudi king for his initiative. 
Al-Sudairy said this invitation will have a positive impact on the souls of our brothers. He added the martyrs deserve this for their sacrifices to protect the unity of Yemen and this is part of our nation’s continuous support to serve Islam and Muslims.
“This initiative is among a series of good initiatives by King Salman to serve Muslims across the world, especially those who sacrificed their lives to protect their nation,” he said. 
This comes as part of the Guests of King Salman for Hajj and Umrah program, which is supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.

Meanwhile the Yemeni Ministry of Endowments and Guidance said on Saturday it had “completed the arrangements to receive some 25,000 Yemeni pilgrims coming from the Yemeni territory through Wadiah Port starting Aug 2.”

And more than 2,300 Sudanese pilgrims arrived on two ships, the Mouda and the Nour, where they were screened by medical teams.