UN chief "deeply saddened" at stampede deaths at hajj in Saudi Arabia

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday that he was "deeply saddened" to learn of the death of more than 700 Hajj pilgrims and of injuries to many others as a result of a deadly stampede in the Mina Valley in Saudi Arabia.

"This tragic incident is all the more distressing as it took place on the first day of the Holy Eid Al-Adha marking the end of the annual Hajj season," said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesman.

The secretary-general extended his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and expresses his sympathies to all the governments concerned, the statement added.

Saudi authorities said the total number of pilgrims killed in the stampede Thursday in Mecca has risen to 717. The number of injured has surged to 805, the Saudi Civil Defense authorities said on its Twitter account.

The victims included people from different countries.

The stampede happened amid a rush of the stoning as part of Hajj rituals. Muslim pilgrims throw stones on a wall representing devil.

The was the second major incident involving massive casualties this month in Saudi Arabia.
Early September, 111 pilgrims were killed and 331 others injured in a crane crash in the grand mosque of Mecca.
   Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
25/9/15
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• At least 717 dead in Mina stampede

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