JEDDAH: The first group of South African pilgrims arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Sunday.

They were received on arrival by officials of the Tawafa Organization for Non-Arab African Countries.

Abdul Wahid Saifuddin, president of the organization, said it has completed all preparations to receive more than 180,000 pilgrims and mobilized all their resources to provide them with good services.

Meanwhile, Hatim Qadi, spokesman of the Haj Ministry, said 20 Haj flights will arrive on Monday — 13 at King Abdul Aziz Airport and seven at Prince Muhammad Airport in Madinah.

Turkish pilgrims will the first to arrive at Madinah airport, according to Atif Taseji, public relations manager at the airport, which is scheduled to receive 39 Haj flights carrying 9,000 pilgrims on Monday.

Omar Farouk, vice president of the Pakistani Haj Mission, said the first group of pilgrims from his country would arrive in Madinah on Sept. 21.

He estimated the total number of Pakistanis coming for Haj this year at 180,000.

“About 40 percent of Pakistani pilgrims will be accommodated in buildings close to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah,” he said, adding that 180 employees have been appointed to serve pilgrims.