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No fewer than 300 people were killed in a stampede in Mina, in Saudi Arabia, on Thursday during the Islamic commemoration of Jamarat, which is the “stoning of the devil” with pebbles.
About 400 pilgrims were reportedly injured in the tragedy.
The Stoning of the Devil is a re-enactment of a story from the Quran involving the Prophet Ibrahim, which takes place during the hajj.
Some reports say 310 people died in the stampede that occurred as over 3 million pilgrims observing this year’s hajj, who spent the night in the plain fields of Muzdalifa, began trooping to the Jamarat as early as 3am local time.
Saudi civil defense authorities confirmed the deaths on Twitter and said two medical centres had been opened to treat the injured.