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Ramadan 2020: Abu Dhabi cannon-firing ceremony to have no spectators like other emirates

Abu Dhabi - The move is due to preventive measures designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Abu Dhabi's cannon-firing ceremony to announce Iftar time during the holy month of Ramadan will be held without spectators as part of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
This follows similar announcements from Dubai and Sharjah that their cannon-firing events will also proceed without people present.
Colonel Talib Abu Talib from the Support Units Command told the Arabic language daily Al Khaleej that nine sites had been selected for the Ramadan cannons event this year, including four in Abu Dhabi, one in Umm Al Qaiwain and one in Ras Al Khaimah.
"The Ceremonies Squadron of the Support Units Command fired three rounds today immediately after the announcement of Ramadan. The Squadron will fire one round every day to announce Iftar time and three rounds to announce Eid Al Fitr at the end of the holy month," he added.
The cannons were introduced in 1970 by the then Abu Dhabi Defence Force. The firing ceremony was re-introduced as a means to announce Iftar time in 2014 after the restructure of the Ceremonies Squadron within the Support Units Command.