FIVE OMANI PILGRIMS INJURED, ONE MISSING

MUSCAT: As many as five Omani pilgrims have been injured in the stampede incident at Mina in Saudi Arabia, head of the Omani Haj Mission confirmed.

Speaking to the media, Shaikh Issa bin Yousef al Busaidi, Chairman of the Omani Haj Mission for this year said the five Omani pilgrims injured in the stampede incident were transferred to a hospital and later discharged after getting minor treatment.

However, one Omani pilgrim is said to be missing. He said the Omani Haj mission is co-ordinating with Saudi authorities.

He added that the contractors registered with the mission reported that all Omani pilgrims are safe.

The Haj mission source in Saudi Arabia said that measures to ensure the safety of pilgrims in the coming days are in place.

“We have taken further steps to ensure our citizens are safe from any accidents and all their movements in and around the holy land are coordinated and planned according to the crowd in the land”, he further said.

Meanwhile, in the worst tragedy that the holy land witnessed since 1990, at least 717 people have been killed while at least 863 other pilgrims were injured in the stampede, which took place in Mina, on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca while the believers were doing symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls. — ONA