The death toll from the stampede near Mecca has passed 700.
Pilgrims were in a tent city called Mina about two miles from Mecca when the stampede started during the “stoning of the devil.” The latest official death toll from Saudi officials is 717, and they report over 800 have been injured. Witnesses say that many of the injuries were serious and that it’s likely the true number of the dead is higher than the official government toll.
The crush of pilgrims leading to deaths during the “stoning” during the Hajj is not new. In 2006, 383 people were killed in a crush as pilgrims tried to reach three pillars where the devil was believed to have been stoned as he tempted Abraham to not follow God’s command to kill his son.
Over two million Muslims are currently in the Mecca region for the Hajj.
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