Hajj stampede

The Saudi Arabia Hajj chief has caused outrage after saying that Africans were the reason for the stampede that happened in Mina, killing over 1300 people, injuring more than 863 others. The prince made the statement after people pointed accusing fingers at the Hajj committee for poor arrangement and lack of security measure of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Saudi Prince Khaled al-Faisal was the first to have made the comment sparking a reaction among people around the world about the racist comment made by the prince, and people have told the prince to focus on the cause of the incident and not point fingers at anyone.

              

Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh, a top religious leader in Saudi Arabia has also told Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, Chairman of the Hajj committee "you are not responsible for what happened, As for the things that humans cannot control, you are not blamed for them. Fate and destiny are inevitable"

Mohammed has also ordered an investigation into the stampede last Thursday. Also, King Salman, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' in Mecca and Medina has also ordered a review of how the hajj is organised.

Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani, Iran supreme leader has condemned his neighbour and said, "Saudi Arabia is incapable of organising the pilgrimage," The comments come as Iran lost 131 of its citizens to the stampede.

 

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It was tragedy in Mina, Saudi Arabia for people that went to Hajj after a stampede happened and killed more than 1,300 people that went for the holy Hajj pilgrimage, and 863 several others injured. The stampede has caused the world asking that the leaders of Islam review the Saudi Arabia hegemony and also the Islamic heritage in the context of Hajj pilgrimage.

After investigation on the cause of the stampede, the son of the Saudi King, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has been fingered has the person behind the stampede after his convoy. An Arabic language daily, Al-Diyar, reported on Thursday. Salman had wanted to attend the pilgrimage and was reported to have arrived early on Thursday with a large entourage, including 200 army forces and 150 police officers.

                         

                                Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister 

The presence of the Saudi prince in the middle of the population caused a change in direction of movement of the pilgrims and that was the start of the stampede. Since the reason of the stampede was exposed, the Saudi authorities have imposed a total media blackout of the prince's presence since the prince left the scene immediately the stampede started.

However, officials in Saudi have called the report incorrect, and the health minister in Saudi, Khaled al-Falih have blamed pilgrims of the accident, saying that they failed to follow instructions, else the tragedy could have been averted.

                          

                                Stampede at MIna, thousands dead, and hundreds injured

The Saudi authorities have also reduced the number of people that died in the stampede as 717 and injured at 863, a claim the Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization have disagreed with, the Iranian pilgrimage organization claimed the number of deaths in the incident were more than 1300, and that number includes 125 Iranians.

Some other officials that have announced death tolls in the stampede includes Turkey, who said it has not been able to reach 18 of its citizens that had gone to pilgrimage,and also Indian have said 14 of its citizens were dead in the stampede, and another 13 injured and are receiving treatment.

 

 

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