The influx of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia from all over the world is indicated in the large numbers of devotees flocking to the country of the Two Holy Mosques ahead of Ramadan.

Arab News met with a group of Tunisian pilgrims at the site of the Battle of Ohod to talk about their experience. One of the Tunisian pilgrims, Mohammed Ali, said this was the first time he had come for Umrah. “I am really happy at being able to visit Makkah and Madinah and be at the Prophet’s mosque,” he said. He added that he had not faced any difficulties while in the Kingdom and that he was enjoying every minute of his stay here. “I also visited the archaeological and historical sites in Madinah,” he said. He also lauded the services provided by the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

He said that the trip cost him approximately 1,500 euros inclusive of travel, subsistence housing and transportation costs.

He was accompanied by his colleague, Abdulrahman Hassan, who said that it was also his first time to come to the Kingdom to perform Umrah. “I feel blessed to be able to be in the city of Al-Mustafa (peace be upon him),” he said and praised the expansion project of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and in Madinah noting that it would greatly ease the congestion in the holy sites during the Haj and Umrah pilgrimages.