Six weeks after the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and northern Syria, Ramadan has also begun for many Muslims in the affected regions. In the night of Thursday, for example, in the town of Islahiye, a long line formed at distribution points for the last meal before the first day of fasting (Sahur), as a dpa reporter from the site reported.

In the evening, in tents declared as mosques, men prayed the Tarawih prayer together, which traditionally begins Ramadan. The streets and mosques of the city would now actually be decorated with lights. This year, Ramadan begins with a gloomy mood. Many squares are empty, mosques are damaged, and the streets are dark.

Sahur package with only one tomato and olives

Cafer Polat lives with his family of eight in a tent in central Islahiye. When he gets his free pack of Sahur, he laments that it comes with "just a tomato and a few olives." "It's a bittersweet joy, all this chaos feels a far cry from the traditional Ramadan mood," Polat told dpa. "Actually, days in advance, we would clean the house, make preparations, cook special dishes and invite guests over."

The earthquake on February 6 killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey alone, and according to the government, around two million are living in tents.

Meanwhile, the earth trembled again in south-eastern Turkey. The 5.3-magnitude tremor had its epicenter, like the major tremors before it, in Kahramanmaras province, the Afad civil protection authority said on Thursday.