650 officers to handle emergencies in Haram MAKKAH: A total of 650 officers have been assigned to deal with any kind of emergency at the Holy Haram in Makkah for Haj this year, according to Col. Abdul Rahman Bin Hussein Al-Thaqafi, Commander of the Civil Defense at the mosque. Al-Thaqafi said nine rapid intervention and emergency teams are on duty to deal with pilgrims who have health problems and to take them to hospitals. Al-Thaqafi added that at peak times, the Civil Defense force at the Grand Mosque is backed up with other squads of 250 officers and privates, which raises the number of personnel to more than 650 men supported by more than 100 vehicles equipped for transporting patients. – SPA/Saudi Gazette 170,000 pilgrims leave Madina in 48 hours MADINA: The last 48 hours have seen approximately 170,000 pilgrims successfully grouped and transported by 4,000 buses to the holy sites. A final 30,000 pilgrims will perform the final Friday prayer at the Prophet's Mosque before heading for Makkah. Over 16,000 buses have departed Madina for Makkah since the Haj season began, and the ban on their departure after 11 p.m. has successfully reduced accidents on the Al-Hijra road between Madina, Makkah and the holy sites. The number of pilgrims this year has exceeded expectations, however, with 800,000 expected in the first part of season and one million in the second season. 911,000 arrived in Madina Thursday. – Okaz/Saudi Gazette 180,000 non-Arab African Hajis arrive MAKKAH: The Tawafa Organization for non-Arab African Countries has announced the arrival of 180,000 pilgrims from 46 African countries. Abdul Wahid Saif, head of the organization, said the shuttle-bus system has been approved to transport pilgrims from Makkah to the holy sites. He said a special road was established between Arafat, Muzdalifa and Mina, including an area to impound cars, at a cost of SR300 million. Meanwhile, Dr. Muqrin Al-Muqrin, Commander of the Haj General Service Camps, said the engineering committee at the camps has issued 135,000 guide maps of the holy sites – 15,000 large and 120,000 pocketsize – which have been distributed to 17 guide centers in Mina and Arafat.
