ALKHOBAR: At Hajj, millions of people move through the same spaces within a limited number of days. From the outside, the operation can appear seamless.
On the ground, order is often maintained through small, fast decisions that most pilgrims never notice, whether it is redirecting a delayed group, closing a pathway, or responding to a sudden buildup of people in one direction.
Sometimes, preventing a dangerous situation comes down to seconds of action.
Volunteers and field personnel assist pilgrims as part of efforts to manage crowds during Hajj. (AN photo)
For 27-year-old volunteer Abdullah Al-Mutairi, one of those moments happened near Mina during a previous Hajj season. What began as normal crowd movement quickly started changing.
