Egypt announces sanctions against travel companies for “fraud”.

The decision came after hundreds of pilgrims died in the scorching heat, more than half of them unauthorized. Egyptian authorities revoked the licenses of sixteen tour operators on Saturday (June 22) and ordered their managers to be prosecuted for “fraud” for illegally transporting pilgrims to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli “Ordered to withdraw the licenses of these establishments, refer their managers to public prosecutors and impose fines on them for the benefit of the families of pilgrims killed by them”His office said in a press release.

As more than 1.8 million Muslims from around twenty countries gathered in the holy city between June 14 and 19 for the Haj pilgrimage, the thermometer soared above 50°C. In total, more than 1,100 pilgrims died due to the extreme temperatures, more than half of them from Egypt, according to a tally established on Friday by Agence France-Presse (AFP), based on official reports and information provided by diplomats.

More than 300,000 unregistered pilgrims went back

Every year, tens of thousands of devotees attempt to participate in the pilgrimage, which offers access to quota-based, especially air-conditioned facilities, without the necessary permits.

In early June, Saudi Arabia announced it had turned back more than 300,000 unregistered pilgrims from Mecca, including 153,998 foreigners who entered the kingdom on tourist visas without going through official channels. However, a large number of unauthorized pilgrims managed to participate in the rituals that took place over several days, especially in difficult circumstances.

Permits to participate in the Annual Meeting are allocated to countries on a quota basis. Even for those who can afford them, the high costs make the irregular route — which costs thousands of dollars less — more attractive.

A senior Saudi official on Friday defended the kingdom’s handling of the annual meeting, which officially ended on Wednesday. “Government did not fail, but there was an error on the part of the people, they did not measure the risks”He told AFP, before adding: “This took place against the backdrop of severe weather and extreme temperatures. »

“The number of unregistered pilgrims can be estimated at around 400,000”The Saudi official added in an interview with AFP on Friday. “Most of them are from the same country”, he continued anonymously, possibly referring to Egypt. Arab diplomats told AFP earlier this week that 658 people had died in Egypt, including 630 unregistered pilgrims.

Mecca has already warmed by nearly 2°C, more than the global average. Climate change exposes pilgrims to risk “serious risk” It was warned that in the future, Hajj will be held again in the hot summer months, in 2019. A study published by American researchers In Geophysical Review Letters.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and every Muslim who can afford it must do it at least once in their life.