The first group of 257 people left Algiers for a pilgrimage starting Jeddah and continuing on to Mecca, according to the Algerian news agency. The annual number of pilgrims is monitored by each country and the minister of religious affairs, Bouabdallah Ghlamallah and some other ministers, waved the first group of pilgrims off at the Houari Boumediène international airport.
Well over a hundred flights are expected to leave the 12 main airports of the country, carrying 32,000 people. The flights are arranged by both Air Algérie and Saudia Airlines.
