DUBAI, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday congratulated Saudi Arabia on the successful completion of this year's Hajj season, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, state news agency WAM reported.
"Sincerest congratulations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on the impressive success of this Hajj season," Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, was quoted as saying.
He added that "the kingdom spares no effort to serve pilgrims coming from all over the world without discrimination against any fellow Muslims, and Saudi authorities have proved anew their ability to ensure successful management of the pilgrimage rituals."
The UAE is used as a transit hub by thousands of pilgrims from across the world to travel to Jeddah, the gateway to Mecca which harbors the Great Mosque "Al Haram."
The UAE's biggest carrier Emirates Airline announced in July to add 33 additional flights to Jeddah and Medina from Aug. 6 to 31. Emirates said an estimated 25,000 pilgrims would fly with the airline to perform Hajj, one of the duties every Muslim should at least fulfill once in his lifetime.
According to Saudi media reports, around 2 million pilgrims traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this August.
