Drones used to surveil Hajj participants as 269,000 barred from Mecca

• Saudi Arabian authorities have stopped more than 269,000 people without the necessary permits from entering Mecca ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
• The Saudi government attributes overcrowding during the Hajj to unauthorised participants, noting that many who died in last year's extreme heat lacked official permission.
• There are currently 1.4 million Muslims officially in Mecca, with more expected in the coming days.
• Fines of up to $5,000 and deportation are imposed on those performing the Hajj without a permit, including citizens and Saudi residents.
• Officials have penalised more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies. Drones are being used for surveillance and fire monitoring.

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Mecca: Saudi Arabia launches Hajj permit crackdown in bid to stop heat deaths