Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has ordered a safety review for the Hajj pilgrimage after at least 717 people died in a stampede near the holy city of Mecca.
In the latest developments on the issue, another huge 863 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred as two million pilgrims were taking part in the Hajj’s last major rite. It is reported to be the deadliest incident to occur during the pilgrimage in 25 years.
The king stated that there was a need “to improve the level of organisation and management of movement” of pilgrims.
In the latest reaction:
A commission to investigate the crush has been formed by the Saudi governmentThe Saudi health minister, Khaled al-Falih, said the crush occurred because many pilgrims moved “without respecting the timetables” established by authorities Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, which lost at least 95 of its citizens in the crush, said the Saudi government “must accept the huge responsibility”, adding that “mismanagement and improper actions” were to blamePope Francis, who is visiting the US, expressed his “sentiments of closeness” with Muslims, during a prayer service at St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.
It is the second disaster to strike in the pious city of Mecca in two weeks, after a crane collapsed at the Grand Mosque, killing 109 people.
As part of the Hajj, pilgrims travel to Mina, a large valley about 5km (3 miles) from Mecca, to throw seven stones at pillars called Jamarat, which represent the devil.
The pillars stand where Satan is believed to have tempted the Prophet Abraham.
Tags: Hajj Hajj stampede King Salman Saudi Arab
