MINA – Over 63,000 security officers from different sectors oversaw the transportation plan of 70 percent of pilgrims who headed to the Grand Mosque to perform the farewell tawaf amid tightened security measures. Once pilgrims complete their tawaf ritual, they will leave Makkah on board 18,300 buses. Pilgrims pelted Sunday all three Jamarats while their movement was monitored by 3,000 surveillance cameras. No cases required the intervention of security officers who had been positioned at the entrances to Al-Jamarat building. The Ministry of Health's teams had mobilized their medical teams and put them on alert for any emergencies. Maj. Gen. Khaled Al-Mahmmadi, commander of security forces at the Jamarat bridge, said security officers prevented pilgrims from sleeping on the streets. Over 13,000 officers organized the movement of pilgrims inside Al-Jamarat building and the roads leading it to, Maj. Gen. Al-Mahmmadi added. Maj. Gen. Muhammad Al-Qarni, commander of Civil Defense forces, said the movement of pilgrims was smooth and no emergency cases were registered during the stoning ritual. Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Al-Moqbil, assistant commander of Haj security officers in charge of traffic affairs, said the movement of pilgrims from Mina to the Grand Mosque was very smooth. Regarding the traffic plan at Al-Moaisim area near Mina, he said “we'll continue to prevent vehicles from stopping on either side of the street or double-parking.” Brig. Mishal Al-Maghrabi, Director of Makkah Traffic Administration, said vehicles carrying pilgrims were not allowed to enter the Central Area near the Grand Mosque during peak hours while King Abdul Aziz Road was turned into a one-direction lane leading to the Grand Mosque. The same thing was done to other major roads leading to the Grand Mosque. “We decided to turn all roads into one direction lanes because the majority of pilgrims will leave for Jeddah, Taif, or Madinah once they have performed tawaf at the Grand Mosque. We wanted to make sure that no traffic congestion takes place.” Brig. Yehya Al-Zahrani, commander of the Grand Mosque security forces, said the organization plan helped pilgrims perform the final Haj rituals smoothly and with comfort. “Our surveillance cameras monitor the movement of pilgrims all over the Grand Mosque, especially the ground floor, the first floor, the roof, and the tawaf area. We can also see what is going on in the courtyards surrounding the Grand Mosque.” Although huge crowds of pilgrims flocked into the Grand Mosque, security officers organized their movement and prevented any crowding, he added. Over 10,000 officers participated in the plan. Brig. Saud Al-Otaibi, assistant commander of Haj security forces in charge of organizing the movement of pilgrims in Mina, said 13,717 officers focused on preventing any crowding in Mina and were able to manage the huge crowds of pilgrims.
