Lesser hajj: 13 pilgrims killed, 35 injured as bus somersaults
No fewer than 13 people were killed while 35 others were injured after a bus conveying pilgrims overturned on the road between Ta’if and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
This comes less than 24 hours after 18 other pilgrims were injured while participating in the “Night of Destiny”, one of the high points of the month of Ramadan.
The pilgrims are part of many others who are currently participating in Umrah otherwise known as lesser hajj.
According to local media reports, the casualties, including women and children, are reportedly Egyptian and Sudanese nationals.
Local media have quoted Saudi officials as saying that initial investigations showed that the accident happened due to the bus’s front tire bursting.
Unlike the Hajj pilgrimage, Umrah can be performed at any time of the year but it is highly popular during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan..
