Across China: Xinjiang

Pilgrimage to Mecca

About 2,760 Muslims from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region will make the pilgrimage this year to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, Islam's holiest site, local officials said yesterday.

The pilgrims from the regional capital Urumqi, as well as Yili, Kashi, Hotan and other areas, will make up 10 travel groups, said Enwaer Turdi, an official in charge of pilgrimages in the regional ethnic affairs commission.