Pilgrims were performing the last major ritual of the Hajj -- the "stoning of the devil" -- on Friday, as Muslims around the globe celebrated the beginning of the Eid al-Adha holiday.
From before daybreak, the 1.6 million-plus pilgrims began throwing seven stones at each of three concrete walls symbolizing the devil in the Mina valley, on the outskirts of the holy city of Makkah.
Droves of pilgrims had already set out from their accommodation in the sprawling tent city in Mina before dawn, taking advantage of the cool temperatures.
The ritual commemorates Abraham's stoning of the devil at the three spots where it is said Satan tried to dissuade him from obeying God's order to sacrifice his son.
"Our experience in Mina was easy and simple. We entered and within five minutes we had completed the stoning of the devil at the 'Jamarat'," said 34-year-old Wael Ahmed Abdel Kader, from Egypt, after carrying out the ritual at dawn.
Howakita, a pilgrim from Guinea, said the prospect of celebrating Eid in Makkah filled her with joy.
"When I threw the stones, I felt at ease. I was truly proud," she said.
A day earlier, pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat, praying and reciting Quranic verses at the 70-meter (230-foot) rocky rise near Makkah, where the Prophet Mohammed gave his last sermon.
Many climbed the mount despite the searing heat, though numbers had thinned by midday following official warnings for pilgrims to stay inside between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.
This year's Hajj saw authorities implementing a range of heat mitigation efforts alongside a wide-ranging crackdown on illicit pilgrims.
