Saudi Arabia to shorten hajj stoning ritual after deadly stampede

Saudi Arabia will reduce the period of the stoning ritual of the hajj by 12 hours after last year's stampede that killed around 2,300 people, Al Arabiya News reported.

The ritual will be tightly controlled to prevent such mishap, according to the report.

The symbolic stoning of the devil will be performed as usual over three days beginning Sept. 11 at Mina, about five kilometers east of Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site. But this year the stoning will not be allowed in certain hours.

The move will regulate the performance of the ritual and avoid expected rush.

The stampede was the worst disaster in hajj history.

This year's pilgrimage begins on Sept. 9 but hundreds of thousands have already arrived from around the world.

It is among the five pillars of Islam and every capable Muslim must perform it at least once in a lifetime. Endit