Moon‑Sighting Observation for the Start of Ramadan Could Not Be Completed in Tunisia
The observation of the lunar crescent that signals the beginning of the month of Ramadan was not successful on Tuesday evening from the hill of Sidi Belhassen in the Tunis district, despite the presence of dozens of families who had gathered to witness the event.
The crescent‑watching operation took place after sunset on Tuesday, 29 Chaʿbān 1447 AH, which corresponds to 17 February 2026.
Observation Teams and Locations
Special observation commissions, made up of officials from the National Institute of Meteorology and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, were deployed to several sites across the country to supervise the operation according to a district‑by‑district schedule.
The selected observation points are:
- First district: Governorate of Kef – Kef Meteorological Station
- Second district: Governorate of Tunis – Sidi Belhassen Ech‑Chadli Hill
- Third district: Governorate of Kairouan – Kairouan Meteorological Station
- Fourth district: Governorate of Tozeur – Tozeur Meteorological Station
- Fifth district: Governorate of Médenine – Sidi Jmour site, on the island of Djerba
Next Steps
The competent authorities are expected to announce, in due course, the official conclusions of the observation operation and the exact date that Ramadan will commence in Tunisia.
