Afghans mark first Ramadan since Taliban seized power

Agencies | Kabul

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Afghans across the country broke their dawn-todusk Ramadan fast last Saturday as Afghanistan marked the Islamic holy month -- the first since the Taliban seized power last year. About 300 men, dressed in traditional Afghan shalwar kameez, gathered before sunset at the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in the capital to offer evening prayers on the first day of Ramadan.

“This Ramadan is different than under the previous regime,” worshipper Khairullah, who goes by one name as many Afghans do, said. “Now we are performing our Islamic duty together... in an Islamic land under an Islamic regime.” The Wazir Abkar Khan mosque is one of Kabul’s famous places of worship.

The mosque is situated in central Kabul at the main entrance to the former diplomatic hub known as the Green Zone that housed several foreign embassies including Washington’s mission. After breaking their fast, the men sat in rows in the mosque’s compound where volunteers served them food. In the southern province of Kandahar, the de facto power centre of the Taliban, several of the fundamentalist movement’s fighters broke their fast at checkpoints and mosques.