Tunisia: Religious Minister Dismissed Amidst Hajj Pilgrim Deaths

IQNA – Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed Religious Affairs Minister Ibrahim Chaibi as dozens of the country’s pilgrims lost their lives in the Hajj pilgrimage this year.

The presidential statement did not specify the reasons for the dismissal, which occurred against the backdrop of at least 49 Tunisian pilgrims' deaths.

Prior to his removal, Chaibi noted that many of the deceased had traveled on tourist visas, not through the official Saudi Hajj program.

His actions during the pilgrimage, particularly sharing personal photos amidst the unfolding tragedy, drew criticism from Tunisian netizens.

This year's Hajj was hit by a deadly heatwave, with reports from Arab diplomats to AFP indicating that over 550 pilgrims have succumbed to the extreme temperatures. A significant portion of these were Egyptian nationals, with heat-related ailments cited as the leading cause of death.

The Grand Mosque in Mecca experienced a record-breaking 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) earlier this week, according to the Saudi national meteorology center.

While Saudi health services have responded to over 2,000 cases of heat stress among pilgrims, detailed updates on fatalities have been sparse since the weekend.

The previous year saw at least 240 deaths, predominantly among Indonesian pilgrims.

This year's pilgrimage attracted some 2 million faithful, with the majority coming from abroad.

Some pilgrims often bypass official channels due to the high costs of Hajj visas and accommodation. These pilgrims do not benefit from the cooling facilities provided by Saudi authorities, increasing their vulnerability to the harsh conditions.

Source: Agencies