Crown Prince Salman

Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, has announced that the government will pay for the Haj of the wives and children of soldiers martyred in the line of duty.

He recently ordered the Public Administration of Retirees of the Armed Forces to organize the pilgrimages.

Meanwhile, various armed forces divisions have completed their preparations to protect pilgrims and Islam’s holiest sites during this year’s Haj.

Prince Salman has ordered that the nation’s soldiers make sure that they do their best to project a positive image of the country. There has been a major deployment of the country’s top units and the most advanced equipment for this year’s pilgrimage.

Military units are working alongside the country’s other safety and security agencies to tackle emergencies. They are also deployed in various capacities including media, hospitality services, and medical evacuation operations.

The Saudi Air Force, operating from King Fahd Air Base, is providing operational support with helicopters for the Ministry of Interior and the other government bodies to help identify traffic bottlenecks at the holy sites. They would also take part in evacuation in the event of natural disasters.

The Saudi Navy’s Western Fleet will be used to support the Civil Defense with divers and boats for search and rescue operations during heavy rain and flooding.

The Saudi ground forces will support customs at all land and sea points, to ease the inspection of pilgrims, and help the Civil Defense to survey for toxic gases and disposal of explosive material.

The armed forces will provide many other organizational services through its departments, including religious affairs, medical services, retirees, public relations and media.

 
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