For real? Arabia Prince blames Africans for over 700 Hajj Stampede Death (Photos)

Saudi Arabia’s head of the central Hajj commitee, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, has blamed the crush outside the holy city of Mecca that killed at least 717 people and injured 850 more on “some pilgrims with African nationalities”, according to Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV.

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 timetables [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 of mismanagement and lack of safety in the aftermath of the tragedy.


The head of Iran’s Hajj organisation, Said Ohadi, said the incident was caused by the authorities’ decision to close two paths near the scene of the symbolic ‘stoning of the devil’ ritual. “Today’s incident shows mismanagement and lack of serious attention to the safety of pilgrims. There is no other explanation. The Saudi officials should be held accountable,” he said on Iranian state television according to AFP.