New Delhi: In view of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, Saudi Arabia has decided to allow only 60,000 people, all of them from within the kingdom, for the Hajj pilgrimage this year. The Hajj begins mid-July.
The kingdom made the announcement on Saturday on its state-run Saudi Press Agency. It cited the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for making the decision. In last year's Hajj, only 1,000 people, all residing in Saudi Arabia were selected to take part in the Hajj.
Two-thirds were foreign residents from among the 160 different nationalities that would have normally been represented at the Hajj. One-third were Saudi security personnel and medical staff.
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