Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr amid coronavirus measures

ANKARA (AA) - Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, was celebrated worldwide Thursday under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.

Traditionally, Eid is a three-day celebration marked by large family festivities and mass prayers.

But this year many could only celebrate at home with immediate family. Special prayers were held in a limited manner while adhering to anti-virus measures.

Due to restrictions, Eid prayers in mosques in Malaysia were limited to 50 people, while those who could not find a place were allowed to pray in the courtyard on the condition of maintaining social distance.

In Pakistan, people have been asked to spend the holiday break at home as it is under a week-long lockdown. Prayers were held with health measures in place.

In Afghanistan, where both the government and the Taliban are implementing a three-day cease-fire, people filled mosques to perform Eid prayers.

In Kazakhstan, Eid prayers were allowed in mosque courtyards.

Mosques were also full of worshippers in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Eid prayers were held in Shusha, the cultural capital of Karabakh, Azerbaijan, which was liberated from the Armenian occupation last year.

In the Egyptian capital of Cairo, people prayed in the Al-Azhar Mosque while wearing masks and paying attention to social distance.

People living in areas cleared of YPG/PKK and Daesh/ISIS terrorists as part of the Turkey's anti-terror Operations Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch in northern Syria also flocked to the mosques for Eid prayers.

Around 2.5 million Syrians living in Afrin, al-Bab, Jarablus, Azez district centers, towns and villages attended the holiday prayer.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

Following the Eid prayers in Jordan, people also prayed for Palestinians amid the ongoing Israeli offensive.

With anti-virus measures in place, Eid prayers were also performed in mosques in many European countries including Sweden, Vienna, Western Balkan states -- North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Kosovo -- Germany, Denmark, Italy, and Ukraine.

Muslims in Athens, Greece, gathered for Eid prayer in the country's first official mosque. Only 12 people were allowed inside the mosque and 100 others in the courtyard.

In the province of Kardzhali in southeastern Bulgaria, where Turks densely live, the Eid prayer was performed in the newly built mosque with a capacity of 1,200 people.

In Iran, Eid prayers were held in open areas in high-risk cities, and inside mosques in low-risk areas.

Muslims in Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, and Madagascar performed holiday prayers by flocking the mosques.

In Moscow, Russia, only religious officials were allowed to pray. Eid prayers were also held in Tatarstan and Belarus.