In Pictures

Mogadishu gathers for Eid with prayers, family meals and outings

Mogadishu has been tentatively emerging from the waves of violence that have rocked the city over recent decades.

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Young women relax on a flower-decorated swing at Lido Beach in Mogadishu, enjoying the Eid holiday atmosphere. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

By Faisal AliPublished On 27 May 202627 May 2026

Mogadishu, Somalia- Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage period.

It is the second major holiday in the Islamic calendar after Eid al-Fitr, which follows the holy month of Ramadan.

In Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, families and communities gathered across the city on Wednesday to celebrate the occasion.

The holiday is typically marked by communal prayers in the morning, family visits, festive meals and outings for children.

Popular locations for the city’s residents include Lido Beach, the Darus Salam Zoo, and Maka al-Mukarama Road, the central business district.

More broadly, Mogadishu has been tentatively emerging from the waves of violence that have rocked the city over recent decades.

Since 2006, the government has been battling al-Shabab, a local affiliate of al-Qaeda, for control of the country – a conflict that has made Mogadishu one of the world’s most dangerous capitals.

But improving security has led to a surge of investment in the city, alongside the emergence of new cafes, restaurants and other recreational spaces.

At an Eid speech at the Islamic Solidarity Mosque, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said, “We see the change that has happened in Mogadishu’s security,” and called on the public to protect the city’s peace. Ali Jimale Mosque, the country’s largest, usually draws the biggest crowds and serves as a gathering place for the city’s residents.

Central to Eid al-Adha is the ritual sacrifice of livestock, commemorating the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son before God provided a ram in his place.

The meat is traditionally shared among relatives, neighbours and people in need, reflecting the festival’s emphasis on charity, community and devotion.

Costs for livestock have soared in recent months in Somalia due to failed rains and drought, with a United Nations hunger monitor warning of famine risk in parts of the country.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has said 6.5 million people in Somalia are facing “high levels of acute food insecurity”, a crisis worsened by the country’s ongoing armed fighting and a political standoff that has persisted since the president’s term expired on May 15.

The Ali Jimale Mosque in Mogadishu, Somalia – the country’s largest mosque – opened in 2022 and is a Turkish-inspired landmark funded by businessman Ahmed-Nur Ali Jimale. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

Abdirahman and Bilal travel across the city with their parents to attend Eid prayers. The ghutra and thobe — garments associated with the Gulf and wider Middle East — are a popular part of Eid sartorial tradition for men in Somalia. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

Turkish-style mosque architecture has become increasingly popular in Somalia, reflected in grand modern designs like the Ali Jimale Mosque in Mogadishu. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

Fahad and Shahul, who moved to Somalia from southern India, have lived in Mogadishu for more than a year. Ali Jimale Mosque is one of their favourite places of worship in the city, known for its scale and distinctive architecture. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

Worshippers perform rukuu (bowing) during the Eid salah at Ali Jimale Mosque in Mogadishu. The communal prayer is the spiritual centrepiece of Eid celebrations, bringing congregants together in a shared act of worship. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

Maka Al Mukarama Road forms Mogadishu’s central business district, with the KM4 roundabout – the city’s main junction – hosting a statue of 16th-century Somali commander Ahmed Gurey. The area is a busy hub where families shop, socialise and move between the capital’s key districts. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

Escape Skate in central Mogadishu has become a popular gathering place for young people, reflecting the city’s growing recreational scene and the rise of new leisure spaces in the capital. It is now a key venue for youth leisure and social life in Mogadishu. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

A large crowd gathers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Daljirka Dahsoon) in Mogadishu, a memorial honouring Somalis who have died in service of the country, where people join together in traditional Somali dances. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

Lido Beach is Mogadishu’s most popular seaside destination and a longtime hub of the city’s social life, where generations have gathered in the evenings and at weekends to swim, eat at cafes along the shoreline and take boat trips into the ocean. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]

Young men play in the sea at Lido Beach in Mogadishu as they celebrate Eid al-Adha. [Faisal Ali/Al Jazeera]