27 Afghans died during Hajj this year: MoHRA

KABUL (Pajhwok): Twenty-seven Afghan pilgrims have lost their lives during this year’s Hajj ritual in Saudi Arabia, says the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs (MoHRA).

Around 30,000 Afghan pilgrims performed the Hajj this year, with their transportation facilitated by Ariana Afghan and Kam Air airlines. The pilgrims’ return process was completed on Tuesday.

Acting Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs Maulvi Noor Mohammad Saqib chaired a meeting here to review the operations, noting all Afghan pilgrims had returned home on 94 flights.

Saqib highlighted a decrease in Afghan pilgrim fatalities compared to previous years and in comparison, to other countries, this year.

He said the 27 deaths occurred in various incidents in Makkah and Madinah, including two from traffic accidents, three from extreme heat and others from illnesses.

The Saudi health minister reported this year's Hajj coincided with extreme temperatures reaching up to 51 degrees Celsius, resulting in approximately 1,300 deaths among pilgrims.

hz/sa/mud