RIYADH: With the 2026 Hajj season now over and pilgrims leaving Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, Saudi authorities have begun a major operation: dismantling temporary facilities, maintaining infrastructure and preparing the holy sites for next year’s pilgrimage. According to official statistics, 1,707,301 pilgrims performed Hajj in 2026, up 2.04 percent from 2025. Of the total, 1,546,655 arrived from outside the Kingdom, including 1,485,729 who traveled by air, while 160,646 were citizens or residents of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia hails the successful completion of the 1447 AH Hajj, with 1.7 million pilgrims performing rituals in safety, comfort and highly organised conditions.

MINA: This year’s Hajj pilgrims completed the second day of Tashreeq on Friday, following the ritual stoning of the three pillars at the Jamarat complex in Mina. Almost 1.71…