Hajj Disaster Death Toll Surges As Countries Announce More Casualties

The death toll from the tragedy that killed hundreds, if not thousands, of Hajj pilgrims last week outside of Mecca continues to rise this week, as official estimates from Islamic countries show that the real number of those who passed in the stampede is likely much larger than the 769 previously announced by Saudi Arabian authorities.

The Iranian regime’s state-media has claimed that 465 of its citizens died in the Hajj incident, citing statistics from Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, which released the names of all 465 of the nationals that were killed. Regime officials have continually escalated their rhetoric against the Saudis, accusing Riyadh of gross negligence and being unprepared to deal with such a disaster.

Iran’s dictator, Ali Khamenei, said Wednesday that “Saudi Arabia failed to fulfill its duties concerning the desperate wounded (pilgrims).” Khamenei threatened “tough and harsh” measures against Saudi Arabia due to their alleged mistreatment of the dead Iranians.

Egypt’s Health Ministry released a new death count late Thursday related to the Hajj stampede, announcing that the number had risen from 83 to 127, with an additional 70 individuals who remain missing.

Indonesia has raised its death toll as a result of the Hajj incident from 59 to 91, an official said from Jeddah on Thursday.

“We earlier released information about the death toll reaching 59, which comprised 55 Hajj pilgrims and four Indonesians who had resettled in Saudi Arabia. The death toll now has increased to 91,” said Arsyad Hidayat, who leads the Indonesian Hajj Pilgrimage Organizing Committee

Nigeria, similarly, raised its death toll stemming from the Hajj incident from a couple dozen to 64, with an additional 244 Nigerians still unaccounted for.

“Out of those that died, 48 are from States Pilgrims Welfare Board, 12 from tour operators. We have set up various committees to track those missing and we are not limiting the search to Makkah,Mina or Medina but the whole of Saudi Arabia as helicopters were used to airlift victims to the nearest hospitals with several hospitals used,” said Mallah Uba Mana, who leads Nigeria’s National Hajj Commission.

Additionally, New York Times reports that other countries have reported a swell in confirmed deaths, as Mali has seen at least 60 pilgrims killed, “Pakistan 52, India 51, Cameroon 42, Bangladesh 41, Ethiopia 13, Chad 11, Kenya six, Senegal five and Morocco and Turkey each with three.”