Mecca governor: The Kingdom receives all pilgrims without discrimination

Prince Khalid al-Faisal, governor of Mecca, said in a press conference on Sunday that “Saudi Arabia is always open to receive pilgrims from anywhere without discrimination.”

He said that more than 1.6 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia so far for the Hajj season, and that there are 350,000 people working in all sectors to serve them.

Fifteen people were arrested for trying to smuggle pilgrims unlawfully, the governor said, while 329,000 people were returned for not holding Hajj permits.