Muslim pilgrims conclude annual Hajj pilgrimage

Muslim pilgrims on Saturday concluded their annual Hajj pilgrimage with the farewell circumambulation at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, western Saudi Arabia.

The pilgrimage was concluded in "an atmosphere of faith filled with tranquility," Saudi state-run TV Al-Ekhbariya reported.

On Tuesday, the Saudi statistics authority said the total number of pilgrims for this season reached nearly 1.71 million, including 1.55 million pilgrims from outside the kingdom representing 165 nationalities. Over 160,600 pilgrims performed Hajj from within Saudi Arabia.

The total exceeded last year's figure of 1.67 million pilgrims from both inside and outside the kingdom but was below the more than 1.83 million seen in 2024.

Hajj rituals officially began Monday with pilgrims arriving in Mina, west of Saudi Arabia, amid extensive services and security measures aimed at facilitating the peaceful pilgrimage.

The six-day Hajj season included standing at Mount Arafat on Tuesday, overnight stays in Muzdalifah, the symbolic stoning of Satan, and the farewell circumambulation at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel