Three Saudi officials removed from posts over hajj disaster

Fatma Aksu - MECCA

AFP photo

Saudia Arabia’s King Salman has removed three high-level officials from their posts following a stampede that killed more than 770 pilgrims during the hajj in the holy city of Mecca.

Hajj Mnister Bandar Al Hajjar, Mecca Mayor Osama bin Fadhel Al-Bar and the city’s police chief were relieved of their duties yesterday by King Salman.

King Salman, whose official title is “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques” in Mecca and Medina, ordered “a revision” of how the hajj is organized, state news agency SPA said.

A formal Saudi inquiry is also under way into the worst disaster to strike the annual pilgrimage in a quarter-century.