Hundreds dead in stampede at hajj in Saudi

Source: AFP | September 24, 2015, Thursday |

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SAUDI authorities said the total number of pilgrims killed in the stampede Thursday in Mecca has risen to 310.

The victims included people from different countries, the Saudi Civil Defense authorities said on its Twitter account, without elaboration.

More than 4,000 rescue workers and over 200 emergency vehicles are working at the scene, it said in an earlier post.

The stampede happened amid a rush of the stoning as part of Hajj rituals. Muslim pilgrims throw stones on a wall representing devil.

The was the second major incident involving massive casualties this month in Saudi Arabia.

Early September, 111 pilgrims were killed and 331 others injured in a crane crash in the grand mosque of Mecca.

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