Cairo: Egypt on Sunday said that 55 of its pilgrims were among more than 700 killed in a stampede during the annual Muslim pilgrimage Haj in Saudi Arabia.
The death toll was announced by Egyptian Minister of Waqfs (Religious Affairs) Mohammad Juma, who is currently in Saudi Arabia.
On Saturday, Egypt reported 34 deaths among its citizens in the stampede, which occurred on Thursday in the Saudi holy city of Mina, the worst Haj-related tragedy since 1990.
Juma accused Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group of attempting to politically manipulate the Haj tragedy in order to damage Egyptian-Saudi relations.
“These attempts will be handled firmly and resolutely,” state media quoted the official as saying in the Saudi holy city of Makkah.
Saudi Arabia has been a diplomatic and financial backer of Egypt since the army’s 2013 ouster of president Mohammad Mursi of the Brotherhood.
Juma said that families of most Egyptian pilgrims who died in the stampede or of natural causes during this year’s Haj have expressed wishes to have their kins buried in Saudi Arabia.
“Most of the dead pilgrims will be buried in the holy lands on requests from their families,” the minister told Egyptian state television. “We are maintaining contacts with families of the dead pilgrims. The families, who want their pilgrims to be buried in Makkah will have to send an official authorisation for this. As for families who want to bury their dead pilgrims in Egypt, all facilities will be provided for this.”
Around 90,000 Egyptians attended this year’s pilgrimage.
