Braving the heat and uneven surfaces, Muslim pilgrims scaled Mount Arafat to perform a key ritual of the annual Islamic pilgrimage.

Starting at dawn, the more than 1.6 million Muslims taking part in the pilgrimage will throw seven stones at each of three concrete walls symbolising the devil in the Mina valley, on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca.

Muslim pilgrims faced high temperatures on Thursday as they embarked on a day of worship under the scorching sun at the Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Braving the heat and uneven surfaces, they scaled Mount Arafat to perform a key ritual of the annual Islamic pilgrimage.