RIYADH - Saudi Arabia accused on Monday tourism companies from other countries of misleading visit visa holders into participating in the haj pilgrimage.

The Security Spokesperson of the Saudi Interior Ministry, Talal Shalhoub, said that those companies issued visas not intended for haj, and encouraged them to violate regulations by staying in Mecca two months before the haj season, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The spokesperson emphasized that a haj permit is not merely a transit card but a crucial tool that facilitates access to pilgrims and identifies their locations to provide necessary care and services

The spokesperson emphasized that a haj permit is not merely a transit card but a crucial tool that facilitates access to pilgrims and identifies their locations to provide necessary care and services.

READ MORE: Egypt cracks down on travel agencies over haj trip frauds

The spokesperson underscored that individuals without a haj permit face challenges in accessing essential services and healthcare during the pilgrimage.

According to Shalhoub, 83 percent of the total mortalities during the haj season this year, amounting to 1,079 out of 1,301, were those without haj permits.

Death toll of Tunisian pilgrims rises to 60

The death toll among Tunisian pilgrims who performed haj in Saudi Arabia's Mecca has risen to 60, Tunisian national radio reported on Monday.

"Until this Monday, the number of Tunisian pilgrims who died in holy places in Saudi Arabia while performing the haj rituals, increased to 60," said the report.

READ MORE: Saudi Arabia registers 1,301 pilgrim deaths during haj

The consulate general of Tunisia in Jeddah had published an updated list of the names of Tunisian pilgrims who died in Mecca.

Former Tunisian Minister of Religious Affairs Ibrahim Chaibi attributed this loss of human life to factors including the extreme temperatures surpassing 50 degrees Celsius, a significant presence of elderly pilgrims, and a high number of pilgrims with pre-existing illnesses

READ MORE: Extreme heat: Egypt sees major spike in haj deaths as toll rises

Chaibi, who headed the official Tunisian delegation to Saudi Arabia during this year's haj pilgrimage in Mecca, was dismissed from his duties a few hours after his return from Saudi Arabia. The authorities did not give a reason for the dismissal.

The delegation was tasked with supporting and assisting Tunisian pilgrims during the haj season.

haj, a key pillar of Islam, is annually performed in Mecca by pilgrims from all over the world. The number of pilgrims exceeded 1.8 million this year, according to Saudi authorities.