Muslim pilgrims ritually stone devil as hajj nears end

MINA: Throngs of Muslim pilgrims took part in devil-stoning ritual for a second day Wednesday in Saudi Arabia's Mina Valley, as the annual hajj neared its end.

Around two million men, women and children from 188 countries are attending this year's pilgrimage, according to Saudi Arabia's public statistics office.

This is down from 3.16 million last year, after the kingdom cut the quotas over fears of infections from the MERS respiratory virus and because of massive projects to expand the capacity of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam's holiest place of worship.

The number of foreign pilgrims was 1.38 million compared to 1.75 million in 2012. Pilgrims said the stoning ritual, one of the most dangerous aspects of the hajj in the past, had proved easier to perform this year due to the lower numbers.

The head of the hi-tech Command and Control Centre for Hajj Security, Major General Abdullah al-Zahrani, said two factors had played a role.

"The reduction in the number of pilgrims and the correct implementation of the security plan have contributed to the better organisation of this year's hajj," Zahrani told reporters Wednesday.

The centre has installed more than 5,000 cameras to monitor all the holy sites, including 1,200 at the Grand Mosque.

"We have installed and experimented with highly advanced cameras for the first time this year and this has proved successful," Zahrani said.

The centre in Mina has a large number of television screens that receive live videos round the clock from the holy sites.

Backed by three helicopters, the centre is able quickly to pinpoint problem areas and inform the concerned security authorities.

Saudi Minister of Hajj Affairs Bandar Hajjar said on Wednesday that his ministry has been instructed by the king to work out a 25-year long-term plan to ensure the smooth running of the pilgrimage.