18 Pilgrims Injured Near Mecca’s Grand Mosque

18 Pilgrims Injured Near Mecca’s Grand Mosque

Ahead of the Eid el Fitri celebrations, eighteen pilgrims have been injured in a stampede at Mecca, the holy city of Islam, as the kingdom continues to review safety measures after years of untimely deaths during the Hajj.

The sad incident occurred on Friday night near the Grand Mosque in Mecca, as pilgrims gathered in large numbers to mark the Night of Destiny, one of the high points of the month of Ramadan, Punch writes.

According to state health officials, all the injured were treated at the scene and none required admission to hospital, unlike the catastrophe that marred the festivities last year.

It will be recalled that on 24 September 2015, a massive stampede in Mina caused the deaths of at least 2,230 pilgrims, 54 of which were Nigerians, who were suffocated or crushed in the worst disaster in hajj history.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flock to Mecca to carry out the lesser umra pilgrimage during Ramadan, with rituals that include the Night of Destiny, when the angel Gabriel is believed to have given the Prophet Mohammed the verses of the Koran.

This incident comes as Saudi authorities continue to unveil new safety measures for this year’s hajj in September.

As part of the new safety measures, hajj pilgrims this year are required to wear an electronic safety bracelet to store their personal information, including address and medical records.

Millions from around the world flock to the holy cities of Saudi Arabia each year for the hajj and umra pilgrimages