Saudi Arabia to allow around 1,000 pilgrims to perform pilgrimage: Hajj Minister

Grand Mosque complex in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca (AFP Photo)

Saudi Arabia will allow around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom to perform the hajj this year, a minister said Tuesday, after it announced the ritual would be scaled back due to coronavirus.

"The number of pilgrims will be around 1,000, maybe less, maybe a little more," Hajj Minister Mohammad Benten told reporters.

Also read: No Indian pilgrims for Hajj this year

"The number won't be in tens or hundreds of thousands" this year, he added.

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