Thursday, September 24- seven hundred and seventeen people have died in a stampede near the holy city of Mecca. Saudi Arabia has faced scrutiny over the hundreds of deaths. The Saudis has been accused of "incompetence" by the Supreme National Security Council of Iran. A few days after the fatal crush, the cause of the stampede still remains in question.

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According to a report from BBC, the Council has told Saudi Arabia to "take responsibility" for the incident and the subsequent deaths. Saudi has remarked that pilgrims did not follow instructions during the pilgrimage. But Nigeria has dismissed such remarks, and King Salman has ordered a safety review to be conducted regarding Hajj.

Iran has reported the greatest number of deaths among foreigners in the pilgrimage. Saudi Arabia's regional rival has reported 131 deaths. The country has declared three days for national mourning. "The unavoidable fact is that the Saudi government has been incompetent in this regard and with regard to the management of the Hajj pilgrimage, and Riyadh must accept responsibility for this." Said a spokesperson from Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

According to CNN, among the causes of the stampede that are being speculated upon are the huge number of people and the short amount of time to complete the rituals. Worshippers said that they experienced massive pushing as groups coincide with one another in narrow roads. After the stampede ensued, it took hours before help arrived for the casualties.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed has already started an inquiry about the pilgrimage. King Salman expressed his condolences to the grieving relatives, saying, "We have instructed concerned authorities to review the operations plan and to raise the level of organisation and management to ensure that the guests of God perform their rituals in comfort and ease."

TagsHajj, Stampede, pilgrimage, death