Web Desk: Afghanistan marked the start of Eid al-Fitr on Thursday after authorities confirmed the sighting of the Shawwal moon, while the Taliban’s supreme leader used the occasion to call for justice and government accountability.
Afghanistan’s Supreme Court announced that Thursday would be the first day of Eid al-Fitr, following verified moon sightings in several provinces.
In a statement, the court said testimonies from observers in Farah, Helmand and Ghor provinces had been formally accepted, leading to the nationwide declaration of Eid.
Eid prayers were held in the southern city of Kandahar, where the Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada led the congregation.
During his sermon, Akhundzada emphasized the importance of justice within the governing system and urged officials to avoid acting with ill intent toward one another.
He said it was the right of citizens to question the direction of the government, signaling the need for accountability within state institutions.
At the same time, he expressed hope for the decline of foreign influence and those aligned with it, reflecting the leadership’s continued opposition to external involvement in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is among a small number of countries observing Eid on Thursday, based on local moon sightings that differ from those in other parts of the Muslim world.
The announcement underscores the country’s independent religious calendar decisions, even as regional variations in moon sightings continue to shape the timing of key Islamic observances.
Read more: Shawwal moon not sighted , Eid to be celebrated on Friday in Saudi Arabia
