Blinken shares hopes for 'safer and more peaceful world' in Eid message

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday he was hopeful that the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday would mark a moment on a path to more peaceful times ahead, noting that “far too many have lost loved ones over the past year.”

“As we near the end of the holy month of Ramadan, I wish Muslim communities everywhere Eid Mubarak and join in hopes for a safer and more peaceful world,” Blinken said in a statement on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

“As families and communities come together, we know they do so at a time when many Muslim communities worldwide are suffering. Our thoughts turn to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, civilians in Syria, women suffering under the Taliban in Afghanistan, Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China, Rohingya in Burma (Myanmar) and Bangladesh, and far too many others,” he said.

“Far too many have lost loved ones over the past year, and many more are concerned for the safety and security of their families today,” he added.