Massive Crowds Brave Saudi Heat for Start of Hajj at Kaaba
The annual Haj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, began in Saudi Arabia on Sunday with more than 1.6 million foreigners already in attendance. The event is expected to break attendance records, with more than two million worshippers from 160 countries expected to participate. The Haj poses a considerable security challenge and has seen several disasters over the years, including a 2015 stampede that killed up to 2,300 people. This year's pilgrimage will be the biggest since Saudi Arabia scrapped rules in 2021 that banned women who weren't accompanied by a male relative.
