Saudi defense ministry completes Hajj preparations

The Ministry of Defense says it has completed its preparations for this year’s Hajj season and is ready to support the work of the nation’s security services and government agencies in serving pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

A supervisory committee, headed by the director of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, has been set up and is responsible for preparing, planning and supervising all of the tasks assigned to the ministry’s units.

The ministry will support the Ministry of Interior in implementing plans to prevent any incidents that disrupt the security of Hajj and pilgrims, by supervising the courtyards of the Holy Mosque in Makkah, managing the airspace of the holy sites and monitoring the flow and movement of crowds to and from the holy sites.

The ministry has prepared a number of hospitals and emergency centers to support the Ministry of Health and will also host a number of its employees, children of Saudi and Yemeni martyrs and pilgrims from more than 20 countries.

Pilgrims and other guests at its camps have been given scientific and guidance lectures from scholars and sheikhs.