Saudi security remains on alert as over 1.5 million pilgrims gather in Makkah for Haj

MAKKAH: More than 1.5 million Muslims began arriving in the vast tent city of Mina on Monday as the annual Haj pilgrimage got under way in Makkah, with Saudi security personnel deployed around the holy sites ahead of the main rites.

The pilgrims, dressed largely in white, reached Mina by bus and on foot after performing tawaf at the Grand Mosque. The pilgrimage this year has drawn worshippers from around the world, including Iran, and is taking place after waves of attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.

Images released by Reuters and carried by Dawn showed Saudi security officers directing pilgrims at the Grand Mosque to help prevent overcrowding, while other photographs showed security personnel gathering for duty and taking part in military parades and demonstrations in preparation for Haj. The images were taken in Makkah between May 20 and May 22, 2026.

One of the photographs showed a Saudi security officer speaking to pilgrims at the Grand Mosque ahead of the pilgrimage. Others showed members of the Saudi security forces participating in parade drills and readiness demonstrations in the holy city as authorities prepared for the influx of worshippers.

Security preparations around holy sites

The visual coverage also showed security personnel assembled and ready for deployment at the Grand Mosque as pilgrims continued to pour into Makkah. A header image published with the report showed a member of the Saudi security forces directing Muslim pilgrims in an effort to reduce crowding at the mosque.

The report also included an image of the sun setting over the plain of Arafat on May 25, 2026, one of the key sites associated with the Haj pilgrimage.

The annual pilgrimage is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, and the latest images underscored the scale of both the movement of pilgrims into Mina and the security arrangements put in place by Saudi authorities as the rites proceed.