For the first time, Saudi female soldiers are standing guard in Mecca as thousands of Muslim pilgrims take part in this year’s hajj, Deutsche Welle reported. Women dressed in military khaki uniforms were seen monitoring the security situation in the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Along with khaki, they were sporting a hip-length jacket, loose trousers, and a black beret over a veil covering their hair. While adhering to COVID-19 protocols, thousands of vaccinated Muslim pilgrims gathered at Mecca to perform Hajj. The Hajj, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, will conclude with the Eid al-Adha celebrations. According to Al Jazeera, 10,000 vaccinated Muslim pilgrims circled Islam’s holiest site in Mecca on Sunday but remained socially distanced and wore masks as the coronavirus takes its toll on the Hajj for a second year running.
