The Minister of Government Communication and the official government spokesperson, Dr. Muhannad Al-Mubaidin, stated that the Prime Minister has directed an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the travel of Jordanian citizens performing Hajj outside the official delegation – adding that the Jordanian consulate teams in Jeddah and the Foreign Ministry operations center are working around the clock to provide all possible assistance.

 

Al-Mubaidin explained that these efforts and investigations revealed that several citizens were deceived by unscrupulous individuals and some offices. As a result, the Prime Minister directed the matter to be referred to the public prosecutor, who initiated extensive investigations in coordination with security agencies.

 

Arrest warrants were issued for several suspects, with some already detained. These broad investigations are ongoing, and those who exploited citizens' religious sentiments and the desire to perform Hajj for personal gain will be punished according to the law, as reported by the Jordan News Agency (Petra).

 

Al-Mubaidin added that following the Prime Minister's instructions on Monday for the Interior Minister and security agencies to investigate the conditions and circumstances surrounding the travel of Jordanian citizens to Saudi Arabia for Hajj outside the framework of the official Jordanian Hajj delegation and other approved routes, it was sadly found that several pilgrims had died—may they rest in peace—and others were missing – the statement said.

 

Thanks to extensive efforts, most of these individuals were located due to the significant efforts of the Jordanian consulate teams in Saudi Arabia, the official Jordanian Hajj delegation, and the Foreign Ministry's operations center in Amman.

 

Al-Mubaidin noted that the consulate teams in Saudi Arabia and the Foreign Ministry's operations center are working tirelessly to provide all possible assistance. The details and progress of these investigations will be announced upon their completion in accordance with the legal frameworks governing such investigations.