More than 363 Muslim pilgrims were trampled to death and some 300 wounded outside the Saudi holy city of Mecca on Thursday. (Xinhua photo)

ANKARA, Jan. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Turkish Religious Affair official Fikret Karaman said on Friday that 12 Turkish pilgrims were among the stampede victims in the Saudi Arabia city of Mecca, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

   Karaman was quoted as saying that the 12 Turkish pilgrims were killed on Thursday in the stampede which broke out among Muslim pilgrims in the Hajj stoning ritual and killed over 300 people inthe Saudi holy city.

   Karaman added that 26 of the 27 injured Turkish pilgrims have been released from hospital.

   Saudi Arabian Health Minister Hamad bin Abdullah al-Maneh told reporters on Thursday that at least 345 people were killed and 289 others injured in the stampede that occurred at the eastern entrance of Mena's Jamarat Bridge as pilgrims jostled to perform the stoning ritual before sunset on the last day of the annual hajj.

   Some 2.8 million Muslims across the world performed the hajj this year.  Enditem