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Muslims sacrifice 600,000 animals during haj

RIYADH: More than 637,000 sheep, cattle and camels were slaughtered for Muslim pilgrims during the annual haj pilgrimage which ended on Saturday, Saudi Arabia said.

The official Saudi Press Agency said the animals were slaughtered by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) on behalf of the pilgrims.

It quoted IDB President Ahmed Muhammad Ali as saying the meat, packed and refrigerated, would be distributed to refugees and needy people in 27 countries.

The haj culminates with Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice). Muslims have a religious duty to offer sacrifices during the pilgrimage and hundreds of thousands of animals, mostly sheep, are slaughtered each year and the meat donated to the needy.

Some pilgrims buy livestock directly and slaughter it themselves.

Ali said Afghan refugees in Pakistan and refugees in Sudan and Jordan and needy people in Chad would be among the beneficaries.-Reuters