Pilgrims continue Hajj final rituals amid tight safety measures

Hajj pilgrims continued to perform the symbolic stoning of the devil in Mina on Sunday, the second day of Tashreeq, with Saudi authorities reporting smooth crowd management and security during one of the final rituals.

Saudi state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV broadcast live footage showing pilgrims casting pebbles at the Jamarat site in an organized flow, with Saudi officials confirming the absence of overcrowding.

The ritual of stoning commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's rejection of Satan's temptations.

Major General Abdullah Al-Quraish, head of Hajj security forces, stated that comprehensive plans were in place to manage the movement of pilgrims between Mina and the Grand Mosque in Mecca, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

Pilgrims are spending three days in Mina for Tashreeq, which began on Saturday and runs through Monday, casting 21 pebbles each day before completing Hajj. The rituals come after Friday's key stoning at Jamarat al-Aqaba and Thursday's spiritual climax at Arafat.

Saudi Arabia has implemented extensive crowd control measures at the Jamarat facility since the past stampedes, with multi-level bridges and timed group movements ensuring safety for nearly two million pilgrims.

The six-day Hajj season began on Wednesday, and the final rituals will continue until Monday.

The Hajj pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of the Islamic faith, a ritual that must be performed by all Muslims, if financially viable, at least once in their lives.

The Hajj includes a number of rituals aimed at illustrating the fundamental concepts of Islam and commemorating the Prophet Abraham and his family's trials.