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At least 717 people have been reported dead while at least 800 people injured following a stampede during the Hajji Pilgrimage rituals near Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

It was during the “Stoning the Devil” ritual in one of Islam’s holiest city, the tent city of Mina just outside Mecca that the stampede occurred on Thursday.

The death toll has been climbing steadily for the past few hours.

The pilgrimage is conducted over five days

Over the past years hundreds have died during the same annual ceremony. Recently, a crane collapse killed over 100 people in the Grand Mosque in Mecca before the pilgrimage began.

Hajj is the fifth and final pillar of Islam. Every Muslim must undertake the journey at least once in their life time if they can afford it.