TUNIS, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The death toll among Tunisian pilgrims who performed Hajj in Saudi Arabia's Mecca has risen to 60, Tunisian national radio reported on Monday.

"Until this Monday, the number of Tunisian pilgrims who died in holy places in Saudi Arabia while performing the Hajj rituals, increased to 60," said the report.

The consulate general of Tunisia in Jeddah had published an updated list of the names of Tunisian pilgrims who died in Mecca.

Former Tunisian Minister of Religious Affairs Ibrahim Chaibi attributed this loss of human life to factors including the extreme temperatures surpassing 50 degrees Celsius, a significant presence of elderly pilgrims, and a high number of pilgrims with pre-existing illnesses

Chaibi, who headed the official Tunisian delegation to Saudi Arabia during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, was dismissed from his duties a few hours after his return from Saudi Arabia. The authorities did not give a reason for the dismissal.

The delegation was tasked with supporting and assisting Tunisian pilgrims during the Hajj season.

Hajj, a key pillar of Islam, is annually performed in Mecca by pilgrims from all over the world. The number of pilgrims exceeded 1.8 million this year, according to Saudi authorities. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)