Minister Sacked Over Death Of 49 Pilgrimes During 2024 Hajj

Information reaching the OsunReporters News confirmed that the Tunisian President, Kais Saied, has sacked the minister of religious affairs in the country after 49 Tunisians died in this year’s hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

While confirming the sacking of the Minister, a statement by the Presidency who posted on Facebook said ‘The president decided to end the duties of Ibrahim Chaibi, the minister of religious affairs.”

It should be recalled thst the death toll has risen to 1126, more than half of them from Egypt according to AFP tally on Friday, compiling official statements and reports from diplomats involved in the response.

On Tuesday, the Tunisian foreign ministry reported the death of 35 Tunisian pilgrims, but the number has risen to 49 so far, according to Tunisian media.

___,,,,,,The ministry didn’t specify whether the deaths were related to high temperatures, adding that most of the dead had travelled to Saudi Arabia with tourist visas and outside of the Saudi government’s official pilgrimage programme.

……”””””Each year, official permits are allocated to countries through a quota system and distributed to individuals via a lottery.

Even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs can,,,,make the irregular route – which costs thousands of dollars less – more attractive.

______That has been especially true since 2019 when Saudi Arabia began issuing general tourist visas, making it easier….to travel to the Gulf kingdom.