Tunisian President Kais Saied fired the Minister of Religious Affairs, Ibrahim Chaibi, following the deaths of 49 Tunisian pilgrims during this year’s hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The decision was announced in a statement from the presidency on Friday, posted on Facebook, without further explanation.
The Tunisian foreign ministry initially reported 35 deaths on Tuesday, but the number has since risen to 49, according to local media.
The ministry did not specify if the deaths were related to the high temperatures, a significant issue during the pilgrimage.
Most of the deceased had travelled on tourist visas, not through the official hajj programme, which meant they were not liable to receive the same support and services as those who go through the official hajj programme.
Saudi Arabia allocates hajj permits to countries through a quota system, and these permits are often distributed via a lottery. Due to the high cost of official routes, many pilgrims choose the less expensive, irregular routes, especially since Saudi Arabia began issuing general tourist visas in 2019.
According to an AFP report, the death toll recorded in this year’s hajj was over 1000, with more than half from Egypt. Also, more than half of the deceased were unregistered pilgrims.
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