At least 150 people were killed and 400 wounded during a stampede at the Hajj pilgrimage on Thursday, Saudi Arabian officials said.<br />"We have a stampede accident in Mina and civil defense is dealing with it," Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Mansour al-Turki told CNN.<br />The stampede occurred during the ritual known as "stoning the devil," where crowds of pilgrims throw stones at a rock wall meant to symbolize a rejection of evil.<br />The pilgrimage, conducted over five days, includes detailed rituals such as wearing a special white garment that symbolizes human equality and unity before God; a circular procession around the Kaaba , Islam's holiest shrine; and the symbolic stoning of evil.
