“The United States expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the hundreds of Hajj pilgrims killed and hundreds more injured in the heartbreaking stampede in Mina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the release said. “As Muslims around the world continue to celebrate Eid al-Adha, we join you in mourning the tragic loss of these faithful pilgrims.”
Saudi Health Minister Khalid Al-Falih said that the tragedy was caused by the pilgrims’ behavior, as many of them ignored the organizers' schedule when they set out to perform the "stoning-of-the-devil" ritual.
The traditional ritual is performed as part of the annual Hajj pilgrimages to Mecca. The ritual is considered a dangerous event due to the huge crowds that give rise to bottlenecks in and around the holy site.
