Death toll of Mecca stampede rises to 769

Muslim pilgrims head to attend Hajj rituals in Mina outside Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 26, 2015. The death toll in Thursday's stampede in Mina, neighboring the holy city Mecca, has risen to 769, Saudi Health Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Saturday. The accident took place amid a rush of the stoning as part of Hajj rituals. Muslim pilgrims throw stones on a wall representing devil. (Photo/Xinhua)

RIYADH, Sept. 26 -- The death toll in Thursday's stampede in Mina, neighboring the holy city Mecca, has risen to 769, Saudi Health Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Saturday.

Until now, the deadly disaster has left 769 pilgrims dead and 934 wounded, the minister said at a news conference.

The accident took place amid a rush of the stoning as part of Hajj rituals. Muslim pilgrims throw stones on a wall representing devil.

The stampede has drawn fierce criticism of the Saudi authorities' handling of safety, particularly from regional rival Iran.

Earlier on Saturday, the Saudi official media reported that the kingdom's top religious leader said the stampede was beyond human control.

"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," Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh told Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who is also the minister of interior, the report said.

It was the second major accident involving massive casualties this month in Saudi Arabia. Earlier in September, 111 pilgrims were killed and 331 others injured in a crane crash in the grand mosque of Mecca.