194,000 pilgrims in Madinah post-Hajj

194,000 pilgrims have arrived in Madinah after completing their Hajj rituals in Makkah. (SPA)
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Updated 25 July 2022
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194,000 pilgrims in Madinah post-Hajj

  • The ministry figures also revealed that thousands of pilgrims left Madinah for their respective countries, while around 80,000 remained in the city

MADINAH: Around 194,000 pilgrims have arrived in Madinah after completing their Hajj rituals in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Statistics from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah showed that the Madinah immigration center received almost 182,000 worshippers who arrived by bus, more than 8,000 made their way overland to the Land Pilgrim Reception Center and nearly 4,000 traveled on the Haramain high-speed railway.

The ministry figures also revealed that thousands of pilgrims left Madinah for their respective countries, while around 80,000 remained in the city.

This year, the Kingdom allowed up to 1 million people to perform Hajj, welcoming 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.

During their stay, many pilgrims visited the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, located near 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 in a variety of languages. One hall includes rare items and ancient artifacts from the Two Holy Mosques.

 


Commander of Royal Saudi Air Force receives Military Order of Oman

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Commander of Royal Saudi Air Force receives Military Order of Oman

  • Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman conferred the order upon Lt. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz

LONDON: Lt. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, the commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force, received on Wednesday the Military Order of Oman (Second Class) in recognition of his efforts and contributions in strengthening military cooperation between Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The order was presented by Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al-Said, the deputy prime minister for defense affairs, when he received the Saudi Air Force commander in his office at Al-Murtafa’a Camp in Muscat.

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman conferred the order upon Lt. Gen. Abdulaziz, according to the Oman News Agency.

Several Omani officials, including Air Vice Marshal Khamis bin Hammad Al-Ghafri, the Commander of the Royal Air Force of Oman, attended the ceremony. Also present were the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Oman Ibrahim bin Saad bin Bishan, and the military attache from the Saudi Embassy in Muscat.

In a separate meeting on Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Abdulaziz and his Omani counterpart Al-Ghafri discussed training and drills between the two air forces, as well as aspects of military cooperation.