Russian Hajj mission checks information on victims among pilgrims in Mecca
Members of the Russian Hajj mission are checking the information about possible casualties among Russian pilgrims during the today's stampede in Mecca. As at 2:20 p.m. Moscow time, no Russian citizens fell victim to the incident. This was reported by Magomed Gamzaev, the head of the Russian Hajj mission.
"At present, the members of the Russian Hajj mission are contacting the Russian Hajj operators for more accurate information about possible casualties among Russian pilgrims," Magomed Gamzaev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
Today, as a result of the strongest stampede, at least 200 people were killed and more than 390 were injured. The incident occurred at the passage from the tent city in Mina near a station of the monorail metro, which carried pilgrims to the holy places. This was reported by the official website of the Russian Council of Muftis.
According to Magomed Gamzaev, till present, it was reported on the deaths of two elderly residents of Northern Caucasus during the Hajj.
"At the moment, we have the information about the deaths of two pilgrims, including one from Chechnya and another from Dagestan. They were elderly people, and they died of apoplectic attacks," Magomed Gamzaev has said. He has also noted that "in two days, the first groups of pilgrims will begin leaving Mecca."
It should be noted that on September 11, as a result of the collapse of a construction crane in Mecca, hundreds of pilgrims were killed and injured. It was reported that 107 people were killed and 238 were injured. Meanwhile, no Russian pilgrims fell victim to the incident.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.