800 killed and 870 people injured in the Hajj stampede in Mina

800 killed and another 870 people injured in the Hajj pilgrimage stampede incident at Mina, near the Islamic holy city of Mecca according to officials in Saudi Arabia.

During the Hajj, pilgrims travel to Mina, 3miles from Mecca, to throw seven stones at pillars (where Satan is believed to have tempted the Prophet Abraham) called Jamarat which represents the evil. Devotees were going towards the direction of throwing the stones while others were coming from the opposite direction.  Most of the people affected from stampede were from Nigeria,  Iran, Niger, Chad, Senegal and other nationalities as people were just climbing on the top of others in order to move to a place of relative safety. Some people were chanting Allah’s name while others including children and infants were crying. People who fell on the ground were seeking to be rescued but there was no one to give them a helping hand.

According to Saudi civil defence directorate the Stampede occurred around 9:00 local time ( 6:00 GMT) as pilgrims were walking towards the five-storey structure which surrounds the pillars, known as the Jamarat Bridge.

Thousands of British Muslims are making the annual pilgrimage and there are fears some may be among the casualties in the stampede.