Tunis: Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked minister of religious affairs Ibrahim Chaibi after at least 49 pilgrims lost their lives in the Haj pilgrimage this year in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
The announcement came in a statement from the presidency on Friday, June 21, shared on X.
The statement did not provide any particular explanation for Chaibi’s termination.
Prior to his termination, Chaibi revealed that many deceased individuals had travelled on tourist visas, not through the official Saudi Haj program.
His actions during the pilgrimage, particularly sharing personal photos amid the tragedy, drew criticism from activists on social media.
The Haj 1445 AH-2024 season, which concluded on Wednesday, June 19, witnessed the death of at least 1,081 pilgrims from several countries, the majority of deaths resulting from high temperatures, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
This week, temperatures in Saudi Arabia reached 45 degrees Celsius, and 51.8 degrees in Makkah.
Saudi health services have responded to over 2,000 heat stress cases among pilgrims, but fatalities have been scarcely reported since the weekend.
