Holiest sites in Islam

Muslims around the world began marking a sombre Eid al-Fitr on May 24, many under coronavirus lockdown, but lax restrictions offer respite to worshippers in some countries despite fears of skyrocketing infections.

The first group of prospective Turkish pilgrims left Istanbul on July 5 for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia for the upcoming annual Hajj duty.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a recent escalation at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem in a phone call on July 20. 

Erdoğan stressed that it was unacceptable that there were restrictions at the entrance of the mosque, also known as Haram al-Sharif, state-run Anadolu Agency quoted anonymous presidential sources as saying.