Ashraq –Al-Awast

Minister of Endowments and Guidance Dr. Ahmad Attia said that the number of Yemeni pilgrims who have performed Umrah so far has amounted to 350,000 since the beginning of the Hijri year.

He pointed out that this unprecedented heavy turnout was due to the easy procedures, lowered prices, and many new privileges provided.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the size of facilitations granted to Yemeni pilgrims was large and has exceeded the expectations.

“Meanwhile, Umrah has become a refuge for Yemenis who haven’t performed this ritual for four years because of the war launched by the coupist militias, Attia noted.

He pointed out that there is a single land port through which Yemeni pilgrims pass to arrive in Saudi territory.

While before the outbreak of the Iranian war on the Yemeni people, he stressed, there were more than six land ports.

“The only land port is the Wadia port, which has been expanded several times, and work shifts there have also been intensified from the Saudi side.”

“We have overcome the overcrowding problem that was threatening the passage of these human masses, and we have established the field committees that follow the endowments in the Yemeni port to disperse and arrange the pilgrims’ movement, and they didn’t record any incident,” Attia said.

In his response to a question on whether there are Houthi elements among pilgrims, he said there were precautionary measures carried out by the interior ministry and the military bodies.

“These security and military bodies from both countries are concerned with security aspects as they don’t fall within his ministry’s duties and tasks,” he explained.

Attia also affirmed that preparations for this year’s Hajj season are underway and that the registration phase has been fully completed.