Jordan Daily – Saudi Arabia has banned more than 269,000 people without permits for the annual Hajj pilgrimage from entering Mecca.
This is according to foreign media reports, officials said as authorities are taking tough measures against illegal travel to the city.
The government also blames “unauthorized participants” for “overcrowding” at the Hajj.
She also says they accounted for a large number of those who died in the scorching heat of last year’s summer.
The number of deportations highlights the scale of unauthorized pilgrims – as well as the demand to perform the Hajj.
There are currently 1.4 million Muslims in Mecca officially, and more are expected to arrive in the coming days.
There are fines of up to $5,000 and other punitive measures, such as deportation, for anyone who performs Hajj without a permit.
The policy includes citizens and those with Saudi residency.
At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 unauthorized people from entering the city.
According to the rules, only those with permission are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city all year round.
Officials have also imposed penalties on more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies.
The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and involves a series of religious rituals. It is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to do it.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense said that drones are being used for the first time during the Hajj. They can be used for surveillance and monitoring, as well as firefighting.
