A deadly stampede crushed at least 26 people to death during a celebration of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) at a famed mosque in Mali’s northwestern desert city of Timbuktu.
"There were 26 killed and 40 wounded," Interior Ministry spokesman Oumar Sangare told Reuters by phone.
Local police earlier had said 15 died and 41 were injured.
The stampede occurred as thousands of Muslims celebrated Mouloud (Prophet’s birthday) at Timbuktu’s oldest Djingareyber mosque.
"People were circling the mosque, a ritual at each Mouloud, and there was a huge crowd built up," witness Mohamed Bandjougou said.
Officials blamed renovation works at the mosque for the deadly stampede.
"People took to narrow alleys, there was jostling, and the tragedy occurred," said imam Abdramane ben Essayouti.
An official at Timbuktu town hall said the 14th-century mosque was undergoing renovations.
"Because of these renovations, the passage on the north side of the mosque is closed off," the official told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"On that side, to get through, the faithful found an improvised alleyway.
"But the alley couldn't take the number of people using it. So there was a stampede. Somebody shouted 'someone has died' and panic took over."
Tragedy
Ali Kounta lost his young sister in the deadly stampede.
"I lost my sister,” a crying Kounta told AFP
“She was 16 and had gone to pray."
Built in 1327, the Djinguereber mosque is a famous learning center of Mali.
Except for a small part of the northern facade which is limestone, the mosque is made entirely of earth plus organic materials such as fibre, straw and wood.
It has three inner courts, two minarets and twenty five rows of pillars aligned in an east-west direction and prayer space for 2,000 people.
Djinguereber is one of three madrassas composing the University of Sankore. It was inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1988.
"We're in mourning. What happened is a real drama,” said Essayouti, the mosque imam.
“We accept the will of God. He gives us life, he takes it away."
In 2006, at least 364 people were killed in a stampede during the annual Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
Approximately 90 percent of Malians are Muslims while Christians comprise about 5 percent.
"There were 26 killed and 40 wounded," Interior Ministry spokesman Oumar Sangare told Reuters by phone.
Local police earlier had said 15 died and 41 were injured.
The stampede occurred as thousands of Muslims celebrated Mouloud (Prophet’s birthday) at Timbuktu’s oldest Djingareyber mosque.
"People were circling the mosque, a ritual at each Mouloud, and there was a huge crowd built up," witness Mohamed Bandjougou said.
Officials blamed renovation works at the mosque for the deadly stampede.
"People took to narrow alleys, there was jostling, and the tragedy occurred," said imam Abdramane ben Essayouti.
An official at Timbuktu town hall said the 14th-century mosque was undergoing renovations.
"Because of these renovations, the passage on the north side of the mosque is closed off," the official told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"On that side, to get through, the faithful found an improvised alleyway.
"But the alley couldn't take the number of people using it. So there was a stampede. Somebody shouted 'someone has died' and panic took over."
Tragedy
Ali Kounta lost his young sister in the deadly stampede.
"I lost my sister,” a crying Kounta told AFP
“She was 16 and had gone to pray."
Built in 1327, the Djinguereber mosque is a famous learning center of Mali.
Except for a small part of the northern facade which is limestone, the mosque is made entirely of earth plus organic materials such as fibre, straw and wood.
It has three inner courts, two minarets and twenty five rows of pillars aligned in an east-west direction and prayer space for 2,000 people.
Djinguereber is one of three madrassas composing the University of Sankore. It was inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1988.
"We're in mourning. What happened is a real drama,” said Essayouti, the mosque imam.
“We accept the will of God. He gives us life, he takes it away."
In 2006, at least 364 people were killed in a stampede during the annual Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
Approximately 90 percent of Malians are Muslims while Christians comprise about 5 percent.
