Turkey celebrates Eid al-Fitr
Millions across the country say their early morning prayers and host friends and families at their homes
Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayer at Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, Turkey on June 25, 2017. Eid al-Fitr is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims around the world that marks the end of Ramadan, Islamic holy month of fasting. ( Hakan Mehmet Şahin - Anadolu Agency )
ISTANBUL
People across Turkey celebrated Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, with many saying their early morning prayers and hosting friends and families at their homes.
Children were handed out gifts, including coloring books, toys and biscuit at some mosques in Istanbul. In the historic Fatih district on the European side, hundreds of people had breakfast together while in the other historic mosques of the city, soups were distributed among worshippers.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said his Eid prayers in Istanbul.
In the capital Ankara, many people including Governor Ercan Topaca attended the Eid al-Fitr prayer at the city’s biggest mosque, Kocatepe Cami.
In his Eid message released on Saturday, Erdogan had praised the resilience of the Turkish nation and security forces in the face of threats against Turkey.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in his message had emphasized on Turkey's role in sheltering millions of refugees and helping needy people from around the world.
According to UN, Turkey is the top refugee host in the world that is home to nearly 3 million Syrian refugees. This number accounts for over 50 percent of the 5.5 million Syrian refugees in the world.
Reporting by Ugur Islamoglu, Muslum Etgu, Volkan Kasik and Ayhan Iscen; Writing by Handan Kazanci
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