BAGHDAD: From the Middle East to Europe to parts of Asia, Eidul Fitr was celebrated in many countries on Sunday.

It was a particularly joyous occasion for the Muslims living in the Iraqi city of Mosul who celebrated their first Eid without the militant Islamic State (IS) group in years after the militants were ejected from much of the city.

Children gathered in squares on the eastern side of the city. Some played on old swings and others with toy guns and rifles, which were among the toys allowed by IS militants after they took over the city in June 2014.

The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, made a rare public appearance on Sunday since suffering a stroke in 2014, state news agency WAM said, receiving well-wishers for the day’s feast.

The agency posted photos of Sheikh Khalifa, who is also the ruler of Abu Dhabi, greeting rulers of other emirates in the seven-member UAE federation at a traditional reception for the feast.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad travelled to one of Syria’s core cities to attend Eid prayers, instead of saying it in his stronghold of Damascus.

Syrian state media said Assad travelled to Hama for the first time since protests erupted against him in 2011 and Syria descended into war. Hama, in western Syria, saw some of the largest protests.

In Jakarta, residents said they hoped the spirit of Eid would overcome fears about rising militancy in the country with the largest number of Muslims.

A police officer was killed on Sunday in an attack by suspected Islamist militants in the city of Medan. IS sympathisers have carried out a series of mostly low-level attacks in Indonesia over the past few years.

“I think we need to go back to the basis of Islam which is to give peace to all mankind,” Shamsul Arifin said.

In the Philippines, fighting between government forces and Islamist militants in the southern town of Marawi eased on Sunday as the military sought to enforce a temporary truce to mark the Eid holiday.

Small skirmishes took place early in the day in parts of Marawi, where fighters loyal to IS were clinging on for a fifth week.

In Malaysia, the civil war in Yemen was on the minds of two refugees who prayed at the main mosque in the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Sisters Sumayah and Nabila Ali said they sought refuge in Malaysia after fleeing Yemen where more than 10,000 people have died in two years of conflict.

“When we say poor people, children who are not safe, are always in danger, we hope that one day it will be safe again and people will be happy again. Inshallah,” said 28-year-old Sumayah.

Meanwhile, huge Eid congregations were also organised in Russia and Kyrgyzstan.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2017