Houthis obstruct Yemeni Hajj pilgrims

Muslim pilgrims wait to pass security as the first pilgrims for the annual Hajj pilgrimage arrive in Jeddah, in this file photo. (AFP)

MAKKAH: The Houthis have obstructed the departure of thousands of Yemeni pilgrims from areas under their control on their way to Makkah to perform Hajj, said Yemen’s Ministry of Endowments and Guidance.
The ministry’s undersecretary for Hajj and Umrah, Mukhtar Al-Rubash, said Houthi militias have seized the passports of more than 2,000 pilgrims and obstructed hundreds of others. In a statement carried by the Yemeni News Agency, he condemned the obstructions.
In Makkah, Dr. Ahmed Atiyah, Yemeni minister of endowment and guidance, received the first batch of pilgrims from his country.
He expressed appreciation for the coordination between Saudi and Yemeni officials in assisting pilgrims.