Muslim Hajj stampede leaves 220 people crushed to death in Saudi Arabia

At least 220 people have been crushed to death and around 450 hurt in a stampede of pilgrims in one of the worst incidents in years to hit the Muslim Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's civil defence service said rescue operations were under way after the stampede in Mina, where almost two million pilgrims were taking part in the last major rite of the Hajj. It was not immediately clear what had caused the stampede.

Pilgrims had converged on Mina just outside Mecca on Thursday to throw pebbles at one of three walls representing Satan, the symbolic 'stoning of the devil' that marks the last day of the event. See more photos after cut..