However later, the senior Saudi official stated on Friday, “an order got here from above that we permit individuals who arrived on the gates of the holy locations” to take part.
“We are able to estimate the variety of the unregistered pilgrims at round 400,000,” the official stated.
“Nearly all of them from one nationality,” the official added, an obvious reference to Egypt.
Arab diplomats informed AFP earlier this week that Egyptians accounted for 658 deaths, 630 of them unregistered pilgrims.
A US State Division spokesman stated on Friday tht “a number of” US residents died within the hajj.
“We are able to affirm the deaths of a number of US residents in Saudi Arabia”, the spokesman stated, wihtout offering additional particulars.
