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More than 700 people taking part in the Hajj pilgrimage have been killed and a further 800 injured in a stampede near the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabian officials say.
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Pilgrims were on their way to the three Jamarat pillars when the stampede happened, the Saudi civil defence directorate said
The crush happened at Mina, which is the location for a key ritual - symbolically stoning the devil by throwing pebbles against three pillars.
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A sudden increase in numbers resulted in a "stampede among the pilgrims and the collapse of a large number of them", the directorate added
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Security personnel and the Saudi Red Crescent were sent to help those affected and prevent further casualties
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The crush happened in Mina, a large valley about 5km from Mecca that has been the site of past stampedes
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Saudi Arabia's interior ministry said the crush appeared to have been caused by two waves of pilgrims meeting at an intersection
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Saudi Arabia's health minister, Khaled al-Falih, said the crush occurred because some pilgrims failed to follow directions
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The disaster was the deadliest on the annual pilgrimage in more than two decades, and came nearly two weeks after a crane collapsed in Mecca, killing 100 people
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The tragedy happened on the day Muslims around the world are celebrating the festival of Eid al-Adha - the festival of sacrifice
