Mideast in Pictures: A bittersweet Eid al-Adha

CAIRO, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, unfolds across the Middle East, with fireworks lighting the skies over some cities and families gathering for morning prayers. In quieter corners, livestock markets bustle as those who can afford it prepare for the ritual sacrifice, while others share sweets and cookies with neighbors, holding onto tradition as best they can.

Yet for millions across the region, this year's feast is shadowed by war, displacement and economic hardship. In Gaza, Sudan and parts of Lebanon, homes lie in ruins and many have lost the means to buy a sacrificial animal, or even a proper meal. The familiar scent of incense and freshly baked pastries has given way to the rumble of distant shelling and the quiet ache of absence.