Saudi Prince Reveals the Cause of the Stampede Which Claimed Over 700 Lives

Saudi Arabia's head of the central Hajj commitee, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, has blamed the stampede outside the holy city of Mecca that killed at least 717 people and injured 850 more on some pilgrims.

Prince Khaled al-Faisal

 

A statement by Saudi Arabia’s head of the central Hajj commitee, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, has fingered some pilgrims in the fatal stampede that led to massive loss of lives and injuries to visitors.

People from several different countries are reported to have died in the stampede, which took place when two groups of pilgrims arrived at a crossroads on Street 204 at the tent city of Mina for a traditional stone-throwing ritual.

Prince Khaled’s controversial remarks on undisciplined pilgrims were echoed by Saudi health minister, Khaled al-Falih, who was quoted by El-Ekhbariya television as saying that “many pilgrims move without respecting the time tables [set by authorities, which was the] principal reason for this type of accident. If the pilgrims had followed instructions, this type of accident could have been avoided.”
 

Among the casualties of the incident, which happened on first day of the Eid al-Adha festival (24 September), are at least 43 Iranian nationals. Iranian officials accused Saudi Arabia o