Saudi Arabia and the Taliban declared Wednesday, Feb. 18, as the first day of Ramadan after announcing that the crescent moon had been sighted.
In a statement shared by official Saudi channels, authorities in the kingdom said the Ramadan crescent for the year 1447 in the Islamic calendar was seen on Tuesday, making Wednesday the first day of the holy month.
The Taliban-run Supreme Court also announced that Wednesday would mark the beginning of Ramadan in the country.
In a statement, the court said that reports of the moon sighting had been confirmed in several provinces and deemed credible under Islamic law.
The synchronized announcements mean that Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia will observe the start of Ramadan on the same day this year.
Ramadan, observed by Muslims worldwide, is marked by fasting from dawn to sunset, prayer and charitable giving.
