Amman - Saudi Arabia announced Monday to be the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and Tuesday as the first day of Eid al-Fitr festivities.

A statement from the Saudi legal moon sighting panel said that the crescent of the month of Shawal was sighted in Saudi Arabia. According to Koranic rules, fasting should end when the crescent of the lunar month of Shawal is sighted.

Jordanian Chief Justice Ahmad Helayel said that although the crescent had not yet been sighted in Jordan, the Hashemite Kingdom would join Saudi Arabia in celebrating the Muslim feast on Tuesday "out of keenness on the Islamic unity."

Other Arab countries decided to follow the Saudi lead, including Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen and the Palestinian Authority.

Libya, where the fasting month started a day before other countries in the region, also decided to celebrate Eid on Tuesday. (dpa)