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

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.

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