Hundreds killed and injured in hajj stampede near Mecca

[Duque de Bragança]

Yes, it's that time of the year, and to be honest, it's been a while since the last one. Allahu Akbar and so is the stampede.

Saudi Arabia
hajj
Mecca
Middle Eastfrance 24
Hundreds killed and injured in hajj stampede near Mecca

Text by FRANCE 24 
Latest update : 2015-09-24
More than 200 people were killed on Thursday in a stampede at Mina, outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia's civil defence service said.

At least another 400 people were injured in the incident, the service said on Twitter, adding that rescue operations were under way.

Almost two million people are expected to take part in this year's hajj, a pilgrimage all able-bodied Muslims are expected to carry out at least once as a religious duty.

The pilgrimage has been marred by numerous stampedes in the past, including one in 1990 that saw more than 1,400 killed.

Though it has been largely incident-free in recent years after safety improvements, a construction crane toppled into a courtyard of Mecca's Grand Mosque during high winds earlier this month, killing more than 100 people.

Thursday also marked the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice.

[jimmy olsen]

More than 700 dead and 800 injured.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/saudi-arabia-says-450-dead-700-injured-hajj-stampede-mina-n432756

[The Brain]

Horrible.

Which poster will ragequit this time?

[Valmy]

Horrible.

Which poster will ragequit this time?

Did anybody ragequit last time?

The Saudis are such clowns. In their eagerness to destroy Islamic history and build massive tacky shit for their own glorification they keep forgetting to address this issue which keeps cropping up.

[Zanza]

they keep forgetting to address this issue which keeps cropping up.

Mecca probably has the most complex and advanced crowd control in the entire world. Saudi Arabia has invested tens of billions there, building several dedicated airport terminals, huge multilevel walkways etc.

[Valmy]

I was actually not referring to that, I meant the lack of medical facilities and adequate emergency personnel for the size of the populations involved.

But even when discussing crowd control, if hundreds of people get killed every couple years I have to call into question the adequacy of the investment so far. Nowhere else in the world has crowds like this so it better be amongst the best.

[Martinus]

Horrible.

Which poster will ragequit this time?

[Martinus]

Horrible.

Which poster will ragequit this time?

Did anybody ragequit last time?

Tuna?

[Valmy]

Oh I was talking about the crane thing.

[Martinus]

Speaking of which, why is it fine to make fun of people who get trampled during Black Friday but not during hajj? At least the former can hope to get a good tv out of it.

[Valmy]

Speaking of which, why is it fine to make fun of people who get trampled during Black Friday but not during hajj? At least the former can hope to get a good tv out of it.

The Arab/Muslim world is so loaded with constant tragedy and suffering these days it just feels like piling on.

Besides the world smiles on people practicing ancient religions more than they do people who shop at Walmart. Walmart shoppers personify everything everybody hates about 'Murica.

[Josquius]

Happens every year no?

[Berkut]

God is one serious SOB.

[Valmy]

God is one serious SOB.

All the people who regularly died on the required Hajj was an important plank in the Communist anti-Muslim platform back in the day.

[DGuller]

God is one serious SOB.

I'm praying for you.