Saudi Arabia is defending its handling of the Muslim pilgrimage, Hajj, after several countries reported over 1,100 deaths – many of them due to heatstroke.
The state did not fail, but people made misjudgements and did not realise the risks, says a high-ranking official representing the Saudi government.
The official states that the government has been able to confirm 577 deaths during the two most intense days of the pilgrimage.
This occurred under difficult weather conditions and very high temperatures, says the representative, acknowledging that the figure is incomplete and does not cover the entire Hajj.
Over 1.8 million people participated in this year's edition of the religious gathering, which concluded on Wednesday.
The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam, which form the foundation of the religion. All healthy Muslims who can afford it are expected to make the journey to Mecca in western Saudi Arabia at least once in their lifetime.
