All Singaporean pilgrims who are on their haj pilgrimage are accounted for and are safe, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (Sep 24), Dr Yaacob said he was saddened by the news of the stampede in Mina, where more than 300 deaths have been reported so far.
“I understand from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) that all our Singaporean pilgrims are accounted for and are safe,” Dr Yaacob wrote.
“Our deepest condolences to the families of those who perished. Let us pray for the recovery of those injured, and may all pilgrims be able to complete their haj safely and smoothly,” he added.
According to reports, the death toll from the tragedy continues to rise. As of 7.19pm, the Saudi Arabian civil defence said at least 453 have died from the stampede.
MUIS TO WORK WITH MFA TO MONITOR SAFETY, WELFARE OF SINGAPOREANS
In a statement issued on Thursday, MUIS said the Singapore Pilgrims’ Affairs Office confirmed that no Singaporeans were involved in the incident in Mina.
“We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to monitor the safety and welfare of all Singaporeans performing the haj,” MUIS said.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
