JEDDAH, 4 November 2004 — Nearly 25,000 Iraqi pilgrims on 600 buses have so far crossed the Arar border post on their way to Makkah to perform Umrah. Saudi officials welcomed the Iraqis and completed their immigration procedures quickly.
This is the first time the Arar border post is opened for Umrah pilgrims in 13 years since it was closed in 1991. No security restrictions have been imposed on the pilgrims despite the present situation in Iraq.
“We deal with the Iraqis like any other pilgrims who come to the holy places,” a security official at the post said. The Iraqi pilgrims thanked the Saudi government for opening the Arar border post and giving them a warm reception.
More than three million pilgrims from within and outside Saudi Arabia have so far come for Umrah this year. Saudi embassies and consulates have issued 2.6 million Umrah visas this Hijrah year, which began on Feb. 21.
According to Ibrahim Al-Kharrashi, undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry for consular affairs, the figure was 16 percent higher than last year’s 2.2 million.
