Thousands of butchers injured during Eid sacrifice tradition

ANKARA

Approximately 16,000 people in a single day sought medical treatment due to injuries while attempting to slaughter livestock as part of a tradition of Eid al-Adha, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has announced.

One of the biggest Islamic holidays, the ritual includes the slaughtering livestock and animals and distributing the meat to the poor. It’s a joyous occasion in which food is a hallmark, when devout Muslims buy and slaughter animals and share two-thirds of the meat with the poor.

"On the first day of the holiday, around 16,000 people nationwide, including 1,274 in Ankara, 840 in Istanbul and 416 in İzmir, sought medical care for injuries incurred during the sacrifice," Koca stated late on June 16.

The minister issued a cautionary statement to the public, emphasizing, "The lack of professional handling during the slaughtering process leads to such incidents."

Every Eid al-Adha, Turkish media is inundated with reports of "amateur butchers" who injure themselves due to the animals' reactions during the slaughter process.

The media also widely covers scenes of animals escaping from the slaughter sites and running into urban areas in a desperate bid for freedom.

"I've been performing sacrifices every year. I used to mock those who cut themselves. It happened to me too. I had a knife in my right hand. I aimed the knife at the animal's neck, but when it swung its front leg, it hit the knife in my hand," recounted a 60-year-old butcher at the hospital.