141,000 pilgrims in Madinah post-Hajj

Almost 141,000 pilgrims of various nationalities have arrived in Madinah after performing Hajj rituals in Makkah. (SPA)
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Updated 22 July 2022
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141,000 pilgrims in Madinah post-Hajj

MADINAH: Almost 141,000 pilgrims of various nationalities have arrived in Madinah after performing Hajj rituals in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah statistics showed that the Madinah immigration center received almost 131,000 worshippers who arrived by bus.

More than 7,000 made their way overland to the Land Pilgrim Reception Center, and nearly 3,000 traveled on the Haramain high-speed railway.

Ministry figures also revealed that thousands of pilgrims left Madinah for their respective countries, while more than 69,000 remained in the holy city.

During their stay, many of the pilgrims visited the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, in Madinah, located adjacent to the southern squares of the Prophet’s Mosque.

The museum, which is open 24 hours a day, offers an introduction to the Prophet Muhammad through displays and interactive screens available in a variety of languages. One hall includes rare items and ancient artifacts from the Two Holy Mosques.

This year, the Kingdom allowed up to 1 million people to perform Hajj. Authorities welcomed foreign pilgrims for the first time in two years following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions that had forced the annual pilgrimage to be limited to residents of Saudi Arabia.


Transport minister oversees operations as King Khalid Airport resumes service

Updated 21 December 2025
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Transport minister oversees operations as King Khalid Airport resumes service

  • Saleh Al-Jasser inspects facilities, assesses measures taken to restore passenger flow 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of transport oversaw operational procedures at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday after heavy rain reportedly brought it to a near standstill on Friday.

Saleh Al-Jasser inspected the airport’s facilities and assessed measures taken to restore smooth passenger flow, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He also received a technical briefing at the operations center from Raed Al-Idrissi, the CEO of Matarat Holding, on airport operations and flight punctuality, and the implementation of Passenger Rights Protection Regulations.

He ordered the necessary reviews to ensure sustained operational discipline under all conditions.

Al-Jasser was accompanied by the General Authority of Civil Aviation’s President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej; Ayman AboAbah, the CEO of Riyadh Airports Company; and several senior officials from the airport.

Thousands of passengers traveling to and from the airport were left stranded on Friday due to a slew of cancellations and delays.

Saudia and flyadeal were among the aviation firms who faced difficulties, with the two airlines blaming temporary operational challenges for the issues.

A statement from the airport on its official X account had urged travelers to contact airlines directly before heading to the aviation hub to verify the updated status and timing of their flights.

The statement said: “King Khalid International Airport would like to inform you that, due to the concurrence of a number of operational factors over the past two days — including several flights diverting from other airports to King Khalid International Airport, in addition to scheduled maintenance works within the fuel supply system — this has resulted in an impact on the schedules of some flights, including the delay or cancellation of a number of flights operated by certain airlines.”

Airport sources told Arab News that the issue resulted from the heavy rain Riyadh experienced on Friday.

Water had reportedly got into the fuel tankers set to refuel jets, and several airlines then struggled to reschedule passengers.