AFP
Jeddah, Jan 5: More than 70 Muslim pilgrims were killed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on Thursday when a building collapsed in the run-up to the annual hajj, the Saudi-owned satellite channel Al-Arabiya reported.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing many bodies being carried away by ambulance teams and said the deceased were Muslim pilgrims of Algerian origin.
Firefighters and civil defence teams were seen rushing to the scene of the incident, which was sealed off.