Over 1.8 Muslims continue to perform Hajj rituals in Saudi Arabia

By Ibrahim El-Khazen

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AA) – More than 1.8 million Muslims have continued on Wednesday to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Pilgrims flocked to the Mina Valley near the holy city of Mecca to take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil at Jamrat al-Aqaba and sacrifice animals to mark the four-day Eid al-Adha which began on Wednesday, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

The Hajj ritual is the “fifth pillar” of the Islamic faith, one that must be performed by Muslims – if financially viable – at least once.

On Tuesday, Saudi authorities announced that more than 1.8 million Muslims from 150 countries perform Hajj this year, including over 183,000 from Saudi Arabia.

The 2023 Hajj season is the first to witness a full return of pilgrims since the COVID-19 pandemic.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat