The death toll of pilgrims in the Mina stampede and crush during this year's Hajj pilgrimage rose Saturday, with Saudi health minister Khaled al-Falih saying that 769 people were killed and 934 others were wounded in the stampede.
"The latest statistics up to this hour reveal 769 dead. That is an increase of 52 on the previous figures," Khalid al-Falih said, according to Reuters. "Those are the ones who died in various hospitals since the event," he added.
Saudi Prince Khaled al-Faisal earlier sparked controversy by blaming pilgrims with African nationalities for Thursday's deadly stampede, as HNGN previously reported.
Saudi's arch rival Iran blamed the Saudi administration for Thursday's incident and vowed to take legal action against Saudi rulers in international courts, reported VOA News. At least 136 Iranian pilgrims have died in the tragedy.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in an address to United Nations, demanded that an investigation be started into the Hajj accident.
"I wanted to emphasize the need for swift attention to the injured as well as investigating the causes of this incident and other similar incidents in this years´ Hajj," Rouhani said, according to Geo News.
The fatal stampede occurred on Thursday afternoon during the "stoning the devil" Hajj ritual in Mina Valley, nearly two miles from Mecca, on the first day of Eid al-Adha festivities. The Mina accident came two weeks after the crane crash at Mecca's Grand Mosque that killed more than 100 people.
Around 2 million Muslims from around the world took part in this year's Hajj pilgrimage in the Saudi Kingdom, which concluded on Saturday.
