Some 1,300 pilgrims died during the hajj in and around Mecca due to scorching heat, Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday, indicating that the vast majority of them did not have permits for this annual gathering.
Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday June 23 the death of 1,301 pilgrims during the great Muslim pilgrimage recently held in Saudi Arabia in scorching heat, specifying that most did not have authorizations for this annual gathering.
“Unfortunately, the death toll reached 1,301, 83 percent of whom were not allowed to perform the hajj. They traveled long distances under the sun, without adequate shelter or comfort,” the state news agency reported Saudi SPA.
Last week, an AFP count based on official statements or the accounts of diplomats involved in the search for the victims put their number at nearly 1,100.
Diplomats from Arab countries told AFP that 658 were Egyptians, including 630 without official authorization for the pilgrimage. A large number of deaths are due to heat.
The hajj was held from June 14 to 19 in the west of the kingdom. Until Sunday, Riyadh had not publicly commented on the deaths or provided a toll.
Read more on FRANCE 24
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