Saudi Prince Khaled al-Faisal has blamed "some pilgrims with African nationalities" for the Thursday's deadly Hajj stampede that left more than 700 pilgrims dead.
"Some pilgrims with African nationalities were responsible for the tragedy," al-Faisal, who is also head of Kingdom's central Hajj committee, said Friday, according to Al Jazeera.
Nigeria's Amir Ul Hajj Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi dismissed Saudi allegations that African pilgrims were responsible for the tragedy.
"They should not cross each other. We are therefore urging the Saudi authorities not to apportion blame to the pilgrims for not obeying instruction," Sanusi said in a statement, The Nation Nigeria reported.
Iran also blamed Saudi Arabia for the tragedy and demanded a role in Saudi investigation into the tragedy.
"The Saudi government is obliged to accept its heavy responsibility in this bitter incident and meet its obligations in compliance with the rule of righteousness and fairness; mismanagement and improper measures that were behind this tragedy should not be undermined," Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Sunday, according to Sputnik News.
The fatal stampede occurred Thursday afternoon during the "stoning the devil" Hajj ritual in Mina Valley, nearly two miles from Mecca, on the first day of the Eid al-Adha festivities, as HNGN previously reported.
The deadly accident came two weeks after the crane crash tragedy at Mecca's Grand Mosque that killed more than 100 people. Around 2 million Muslims from around the world are taking part in this year's Hajj pilgrimage in the Saudi Kingdom.
