Public security

Saudis Round Off Security Measures Ahead of Saturday’s Start to the Hajj

Hundreds of thousands of worshipers on Friday prayed at the Grand Mosque in Mecca the day before the start of the hajj pilgrimage, as Saudi authorities completed security preparations, following the stampede that killed hundreds of pilgrims last year.

This year’s pilgrimage is expected to draw more than a million participants and comes amid heightened political tension between Saudi Arabia and its regional rival Iran, which has questioned the kingdom’s ability to manage the hajj.

The Saudi government said 769 people died in the stampede in September of last year, as crowds walked to perform the ritual of stoning the devil in Mina, a site on the outskirts of Mecca. The Associated Press, however, has examined state media reports and officials’ comments from countries participating in hajj and says the death toll was at least 2,426.