Hajj 2007: no major incidents; only 610 dead

In preparations for the Hajj 2007, Saudi Arabia "spent more than $1 billion on renovations and safety measures for the pilgrims". The hajj was proclaimed "a success", as there were no traditional stampedes that seem to be an important attribute of this event.

Saudi Arabia said that during this unprecedentedly successful Hajj "nearly 600 worshippers died from disease or old age".

Nigeria reported that "no fewer than 24" of its pilgrims "died at various stages of the hajj rites. Most of the deaths might have been due to severe cold, as this year's hajj operations was charaterised by chilling weather."

"A total of 431 Indonesian Hajj pilgrims died in the Holy Land until late Monday (Jan 8) at 10 p.m. Saudi time, according to information from the Hajj Media Center of the Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry on Tuesday. [...] Old age, pulmonary edema, bacterial pneumonia, fibrosis and cirrhosis liver and cardiac arrest were among the causes of the deaths."

"Turkey's Religious Affairs Department on Saturday announced that some 71 pilgrims, who visited the Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia died during their trip there.

The reasons of the deaths included heart disease or old age and cancer, the department said."

"Up to 15 Syrian pilgrims are reported to have died during the annual hajj (pilgrimage) season, which took place in the Muslim holy sites in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a Syrian source said Saturday.

The deaths occurred as a result of "diseases afflicting the pilgrims before their journey," the source said."

"The death roll of Egyptian pilgrims in this Hajj season in Saudi Arabia rose to 66 on Monday, the official news agency MENA reported. [...]

Among the death cases, 14 cases died before the start of Hajj rituals and the rest after the rituals began, Shaaban added, noting that most of the Egyptian pilgrims died of heart attacks."

Algeria reported 3 deaths.

All in all, 610 dead, mostly from infectious diseases, cold and heart attacks, but hey, at least they didn't die in a stampede.

Also, CNN reported that 10 Iraqi "Shiite pilgrims were ambushed, shot and killed Wednesday as their caravan returned from the Hajj in Saudi Arabia, an Interior Ministry official in Baghdad said.

Fifteen others were wounded during the attack near the town of Nukhaib in Iraq, the official said.

The three vehicles carrying the pilgrims were ambushed in Anbar province, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of the border with Saudi Arabia."

The grand total for this year's Hajj is 620 dead.

Crossposted at Eye On The World.

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