Death toll of Iranian pilgrims in Mecca rises to 136

Ahlul Bayt News Agency - At least 136 Iranian pilgrims have lost their lives in a deadly crush during the Hajj pilgrimage rituals in Mina, outside the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, according to the head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization.

Saeed Ohadi said on Saturday that 102 Iranian pilgrims had been wounded in the tragic incident while 344 others were still missing.

He noted that Iran has set up 10 teams to identify the injured pilgrims hospitalized in the Saudi port city of Jeddah and the city of Ta’if.

He said the identification of the wounded Iranian pilgrims is difficult due to tight security in Saudi Arabia.

At least 2,000 pilgrims lost their lives in the catastrophic entanglement after huge pilgrim processions were joined in their course on Friday.

It has been reported that the convoy of Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the son of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, had arrived at the site, forcing the pilgrims to change their original direction of movement.
 

Iran’s readiness to transfer killed, injured

Secretary General of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Ali Asghar Ahmadi said Iran is conducting preliminary work to transfer the bodies of the killed pilgrims to the country and send medical aid to the injured.

He added that the Iranian government plans to send a delegation, headed by Culture Minister Ali Jannati, to Saudi Arabia and noted that the team would be dispatched to the country immediately after receiving visas.

Ahmadi said the delegation would be accompanied by the IRCS head.

He noted that two planes are ready to transfer the bodies of the killed Iranian pilgrims and those injured in the Mina crush to Iran after receiving the Saudi government’s permission.

In a Friday message, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani ordered the formation of a special task force to address the incident in Mina.




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