The Saudi Civil Defense Organization announced the latest casualty figures from the 'Ramy Jamarat' ceremony in Mina on Thursday, October 2, stating that 717 people were killed and 863 injured. These individuals died due to crowd congestion and being trampled. The 'Ramy Jamarat' ceremony, where pilgrims throw stones at stone pillars symbolizing 'Satan', is a prelude to the ritual sacrifice of sheep and the official conclusion of the Hajj pilgrimage. Saudi media reported that hundreds of thousands of pilgrims attended the ceremony, with the German news agency estimating the number to be nearly two million. Saeed Ohadi, head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, reported the deaths of 43 Iranians and injuries to 60 others in this incident. Mr. Ohadi told ISNA that 'pilgrims from all countries head towards the site of the rituals; today at 9 AM it was announced that two routes were closed, and pilgrims could only access Ramy Jamarat through three routes. Due to this and the significant congestion and pressure on people, we witnessed a bitter and tragic disaster.' The head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization criticized Saudi Arabia, stating that 'there was no access even for ambulances at Ramy Jamarat, which indicates that Saudi Arabia was not prepared for such an event.' Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, also held 'Saudi officials' responsible for the incident, stating that 'they must immediately take effective measures to manage the current crisis and ensure the complete safety of pilgrims.' Mr. Amir-Abdollahian added: 'The negligence in ensuring the safety of pilgrims by the relevant Saudi officials is inexcusable.' Hassan Qashqavi, Deputy for Parliamentary and Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also announced the formation of a special committee in this ministry to follow up on the incident. Photos of the incident were shared from the Twitter page of Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense. The Mina incident, which occurred on Eid al-Adha, is the second major incident for pilgrims during the Hajj ceremony in less than two weeks in Saudi Arabia. On September 20, the collapse of a crane at the Grand Mosque in Mecca killed 107 people and injured dozens, including 11 Iranians. The deaths of pilgrims at the Grand Mosque provoked criticism from Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, who on October 1 stated in a message on the occasion of the 'Hajj ceremony' that 'heavy security for pilgrims is our definite demand.' In 2006, 350 pilgrims were also killed during the Mina ceremony.
717 People Killed During 'Ramy Jamarat' in Mina
A tragic incident occurred during the 'Ramy Jamarat' ceremony in Mina, resulting in 717 deaths and 863 injuries due to crowd congestion. Iranian officials have criticized Saudi Arabia for inadequate safety measures, with 43 Iranian casualties reported. This incident raises serious concerns about the management of safety during the Hajj pilgrimage.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
During the 'Ramy Jamarat' ceremony in Mina, a tragic incident occurred resulting in 717 deaths and 863 injuries due to crowd congestion. Iranian officials have criticized Saudi Arabia for inadequate safety measures, highlighting the deaths of 43 Iranian pilgrims.
- The incident occurred on October 2 during a key ritual of the Hajj pilgrimage.
- This is the second major incident affecting pilgrims in less than two weeks.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the largest annual gatherings in the world, and safety during these events is critical. Past incidents have raised alarms about crowd management and emergency preparedness.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%