Saudi Arabia Tightens Access to Mecca Ahead of Hajj 1447 AH Peak

Saudi Arabia has heightened vigilance and security ahead of the peak of the 1447 AH Hajj. Local authorities have tightened access to Mecca and the holy sites, particularly for individuals without official pilgrim permits. This was confirmed by Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami, Director General of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee at the Saudi Ministry of Interior, during a joint press conference of Hajj security commanders at the Integrated Security Operations Centre in Makkah on Friday, 22 May 2026. Al-Bassami stated that Saudi Arabia has deployed significant human and material resources to ensure pilgrim safety from arrival to departure, including monitoring and cracking down on fake Hajj campaigns and illegal domestic travel agencies. In the same briefing, Major General Dr Hamoud Al-Faraj, Director General of Civil Defence at the Ministry of Interior, confirmed all forces have completed preparations for prevention, operations, and emergency response. Field operations are coordinated to ensure rapid response in case of emergencies during the peak Hajj period. The Saudi General Directorate of Passports reported that as of now, a total of 1,518,153 international pilgrims have arrived to perform Hajj. Details: