Chief of Baghdad crimes unit died in hajj stampede

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region –Chief of Crimes Unit of Baghdad police was among the dead of the Hajj stampede last week, Iraq’s Interior Ministry announced on Sunday.

“Brig. Ismail Hamid Zair, head of the crimes unit in Baghdad died in the Hajj stampeded in Macca on September 24,” said the ministry in a statement.

Iraqi Interior Minister Mohammed Salim Ghabban described Zair as “loyal to his duties” as he offered condolences to his family.

The Saudi Arabian government released the latest death toll of the Hajj stampede showing that 769 pilgrims died and 934 were wounded.

According to local authorities in Erbil no one from the hundreds of pilgrims from the Kurdistan Region were among the victims.

However, several Iranian Kurds from Mahabd city were among the dead.