12 Killed in Senegal Road Crashes Before Grand Magal

At least 12 people have been killed in a series of road accidents ahead of Senegal's annual Grand Magal pilgrimage in the central city of Touba, the National Fire Brigade said on Saturday.

The deaths have been recorded since emergency operations began on July 28 to prepare for the country's largest religious gathering.

According to the National Fire Brigade, firefighters had responded to 182 emergency incidents involving 304 people as of 8:00am local time on Saturday.

Of those incidents, 133 were road accidents involving 286 people. Firefighters assisted 274 victims, while 12 people were confirmed dead.

To cope with the influx of pilgrims, the brigade has also supplied 281 cubic metres of water in Touba to help meet rising demand and prevent shortages.

For this year's Grand Magal, authorities have deployed 563 firefighters along with 91 emergency and support vehicles to provide rescue, firefighting and medical services throughout the event.

The Grand Magal, scheduled for Sunday, is one of Senegal's largest annual religious gatherings. Organised by the Mouride Muslim brotherhood, the pilgrimage commemorates the 1895 exile of its founder, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, by French colonial authorities.