Saudi Arabia has barred more than 269,000 people without permits from entering Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, officials said Sunday, stepping up efforts to crack down on unauthorized journeys into the holy city.
Authorities blame overcrowding during the Hajj on unregistered participants and say many of those who died in last year’s deadly summer heat were among them.
The high number of expulsions underscores both the vast scale of unauthorized pilgrimages and the strong demand to perform the Hajj.
Currently, about 1.4 million Muslims are officially in Mecca, with more expected to arrive in the coming days.
Fines of up to $5,000 and other penalties, including deportation, apply to anyone performing 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 people without permits from entering the city.
Under the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round.
Officials have also penalized more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies.
Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Omari told reporters, “The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.”
The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca involving 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 perform it.
But the pilgrimage has been marred in recent years by concerns about extreme temperatures, with pilgrims performing their rituals outdoors during peak daylight hours.
Historically, deaths are not uncommon at Hajj, which has at times drawn more than 2 million people for the five-day pilgrimage. It has also seen fatal stampedes and other accidents.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense said Sunday that drones were being used for the first time at the Hajj. They are used for surveillance, monitoring and extinguishing fires.
