In response to the tragic deaths of 49 Tunisian pilgrims during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed the Minister of Religious Affairs, Ibrahim Chaibi.

This decision was announced in a statement posted on Facebook by the Presidency, which did not provide further details.

The overall death toll from the pilgrimage has risen to 1126, with more than half of the deceased hailing from Egypt, according to an AFP tally compiled from official statements and reports from diplomats involved in the response.

Initially, the Tunisian foreign ministry reported 35 Tunisian pilgrim deaths, but the number has since increased to 49, according to local media. The ministry did not specify if these deaths were related to high temperatures, but noted that many of the deceased had traveled on tourist visas, outside the official Saudi pilgrimage program.

Each year, Hajj permits are distributed via a quota system through a lottery, but the high costs of official routes have led some pilgrims to opt for the irregular, less expensive paths, especially since Saudi Arabia began issuing general tourist visas in 2019.

The tragedy has prompted a thorough review of Tunisia’s pilgrimage arrangements to prevent future incidents. Other countries, including Malaysia, India, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Sudan, and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, have also reported deaths among their pilgrims.