Despite the many hardships in Somali, citizens are ready to observe the holy occasion. In Mogadishu, thousands of people are doing last minute shopping; although Al-shabab and Hizbul-Islam militias are forcing residents of the areas they control to jointly pray in different praying zones.

Similar activities are also going on in the Puntland and Somaliland regions where the faithful are preparing for the grand Idd prayers and festival.

In Nairobi’s East Leigh division, which is home to hundreds of thousands of Somalis, business is flourishing and the streets are busy.

Today is the twenty ninth day of the holy month of Ramadan and either tomorrow or Friday is expected to be the Idd day, depending upon if the new moon is sighted or not.

Muslims started to fast on the 11th and some on the 12th of August, but according to the Islamic calendar the month can either end after twenty nine, or thirty days.

By Bar-kulan.