Wagner Group was fully funded by Russia – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with servicemen at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia.
©Sputnik/Mikhail Tereshchenko

The Wagner Group was fully dependent on state support, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the country’s military in the Kremlin on Tuesday. The private military company’s fighters were supplied and paid by the Defense Ministry and the state budget, he added.

Between May 2022 and May 2023, the Russian authorities allocated 86.26 billion rubles ($1.04 billion) for wages and incentive payments for the Wagner fighters, the president revealed.

Meanwhile, Wagner founder Evgeny Prigozhin, who also co-owns the Concord catering company, earned billions of rubles on state contracts, Putin added.

“When the upkeep of the Wagner Group rested on the shoulders of the state, the Concord owner received… 80 billion rubles ($960 million) from the state in a year by supplying food products to the army,” the president said.

I hope that no one stole anything while fulfilling these [contracts],” he continued, adding that the authorities would “certainly dig into it.”

Last Friday, Prigozhin sent his Wagner Group to march towards large Russian cities with the stated goal of removing several generals whom he accused of treason. Several military aircraft were shot down during the rebellion.

The mutiny ended the following day through the mediation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Prigozhin explained the decision as a desire to avoid major bloodshed. Putin stated that the authorities would not prosecute Prigozhin or his troops, and invited Wagner fighters join the regular Russian military. Alternatively, they will be allowed to leave active service or follow Prigozhin to Belarus, which has agreed to host him.

On Tuesday, Putin praised the Russian army and security officers for preventing a “civil war.” The response allowed all critical defenses and government systems to continue operating, the president added.

Putin Tells Military They Clearly Prevented Civil War

Vladimir Putin thanked all personnel of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as the country's law enforcement agencies and special services for their courage and loyalty to the Russian people.

Military units who took part in the suppression of the attempted armed mutiny on June 24, actually stopped a civil war in Russia, and acted clearly and harmoniously, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

"You defended the constitutional order, and our citizens’ lives, security and freedom. You saved our motherland from turmoil, and in fact prevented civil war. In these difficult moments, you acted clearly and harmoniously; through your deeds, you proved your loyalty to the people of Russia and the military oath," Putin said, addressing the security forces who quashed the insurrection.

© Sputnik / Sergey Guneev / Go to the mediabank

The Russian president stressed that “today the historic Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin sees servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces, and the Russian Guard, as well as the staff of the Russian National Guard, the FSB, the Interior Ministry, the Federal Protective Service as well as soldiers and officers, who are the real defenders of the Fatherland, and who - at a tough time for the country, along with their comrades - stood in the way of turmoil, the result of which could have inevitably been chaos."

Putin thanked the personnel of the country's armed forces, law enforcement agencies and special services for their "courage, valor and loyalty to the people of Russia."

He said that the people who were sucked into the Wagner mutiny realized the fact the army and the people were not on the side of the rebels.

"The quick and precise deployment of law enforcement agencies made it possible to stop the extremely dangerous development of the situation in the country, something that helped prevent civilian casualties," Putin emphasized.

The Russian head of state underlined that the determination and courage of the servicemen, as well as “the consolidation of Russian society played a huge and decisive role in stabilizing the situation.”

Putin also paid his respects to the military pilots who were killed while trying to take on the mutineers. "Our comrades-in-arms, pilots, died in the confrontation with the mutineers. They had no fear and honorably fulfilled the order and their military duty," he said. Putin asked for a minute of silence so his audience could pay their respects to the pilots.

According to him, relocating Russian troops from the special military operation zone to grapple with Wagner’s aborted mutiny gamble was not necessary.

According to him, relocating Russian troops from the special military operation zone to grapple with Wagner’s aborted mutiny gamble was not necessary.

“Units of the Defense Ministry, the National Guard as well as the forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and special services ensured the reliable operation of the most important control and strategic centers, the security of border regions, and the strength of the rear of our Armed Forces of all military formations, which continued at that time to heroically fight at the front. We did not have to remove combat units from the special military operation zone,” the Russian president pointed out.

Wagner's Aborted Mutiny Plot

On Friday, PMC Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the Russian military of conducting a strike against a Wagner camp, even though the country’s Ministry of Defense denied his allegations. Shortly after, the PMC chief announced that the council of Wagner commanders had made the decision to "stop" the "evil" being "carried by the military leadership of the country," warning that he and his 25,000 men would go to Moscow to "sort out" what happened to their comrades killed in the missile attack. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) opened a criminal case against Prigozhin for inciting armed mutiny.

The Defense Ministry in turn said in a statement at the time that "all messages and videos distributed on social media on behalf of Prigozhin about alleged ‘strikes by the Russian Defense Ministry on rear camps of PMC Wagner’ do not correspond to reality and are an informational provocation."

In the early hours of Saturday, a contingent of Wagner forces seized control of several administrative buildings in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and kicked off an advance on Moscow to "sort out" the Russian Defense Ministry’s top brass over what Prigozhin described as a purported missile attack on Wagner positions.

In the June 24 televised address to the nation, Putin described the actions of PMC Wagner as an armed mutiny and treason, pledging tough measures against the insurgents.

Also on Saturday, Belarus' Security Council issued a statement expressing concerns about the situation involving Prigozhin and his conflict with the Russian military's leadership, warning that "any provocation" would prove a "gift to the collective West" and stressing that Minsk was and will always remain Russia's ally.

Menko Airlangga: Indonesia tetap akan perjuangkan hak ekspor nikel

Menteri Koordinator Bidang Perekonomian Airlangga Hartarto menjawab pertanyaan wartawan di Jakarta, Selasa (27/6/2023). (ANTARA/Imamatul Silfia)

Menteri Koordinator Bidang Perekonomian Airlangga Hartarto menyatakan Indonesia akan tetap memperjuangkan hak negara untuk hilirisasi meski Dana Moneter Internasional (IMF) meminta pemerintah Indonesia mempertimbangkan penghapusan kebijakan larangan ekspor nikel.

“Itu bukan hanya rekomendasi IMF, tapi juga keputusan dari WTO (Organisasi Perdagangan Dunia). Tapi, kita akan terus banding. Karena yang kita ekspor bukan Tanah Air, tapi nilai tambah,” kata Airlangga saat ditemui di Jakarta, Selasa.

Airlangga menambahkan, sikap tersebut bukan hanya untuk memperjuangkan hak hilirisasi tetapi juga untuk membebaskan Indonesia dari bentuk kolonialisme baru.

Dia berpendapat permintaan IMF untuk memaksa Indonesia tetap mengekspor komoditas nikel merupakan salah satu bentuk regulasi imperialisme. Sebab, ia menilai tak seharusnya negara lain memaksakan kehendak kepada suatu negara dalam membuat kebijakan tertentu.

"Jadi kalau ada negara lain memaksa kita untuk mengekspor komoditas itu saya sering sebut sebagai imperialism regulatory, regulator yang imperialis," katanya.

"Sekarang kolonialisme baru itu dilakukan dengan cara itu," sambung dia.

Oleh karena itu, dia mengatakan akan tetap berusaha mempertahankan hak Indonesia memperoleh nilai tambah dari komoditas dan melakukan pembatasan ekspor nikel secara bertahap.

Diketahui, dokumen IMF Executive Board Concludes 2023 Article IV Consultation with Indonesia memberikan catatan terkait rencana hilirisasi nikel di Indoonesia.

Dalam dokumen tersebut, IMF menyebut kebijakan harus berlandaskan analisis terkait biaya dan manfaat lebih lanjut. Selain itu, kebijakan juga perlu dibentuk dengan mempertimbangkan dampak-dampak terhadap wilayah lain.

Atas dasar itu, IMF mengimbau Indonesia untuk mempertimbangkan kebijakan penghapusan bertahap pembatasan ekspor nikel dan tidak memperluas pembatasan ke komoditas lainnya.

Kebijakan Indonesia terkait nikel juga pernah mendapat penolakan dari Uni Eropa.

Uni Eropa menggugat Indonesia ke Organisasi Perdagangan Dunia (WTO) dan berhasil memenangkan gugatan pada Oktober 2022 lalu.

WTO menilai kebijakan larangan ekspor nikel Indonesia telah melanggar Pasal XI.1 GATT 1994 dan tidak dapat dijustifikasi dengan Pasal XI.2 (a) XX (d) GATT 1994.

Kebijakan Indonesia terkait nikel juga pernah mendapat penolakan dari Uni Eropa.

Uni Eropa menggugat Indonesia ke Organisasi Perdagangan Dunia (WTO) dan berhasil memenangkan gugatan pada Oktober 2022 lalu.

WTO menilai kebijakan larangan ekspor nikel Indonesia telah melanggar Pasal XI.1 GATT 1994 dan tidak dapat dijustifikasi dengan Pasal XI.2 (a) XX (d) GATT 1994.

Namun, Airlangga menegaskan Indonesia akan terus mengajukan banding.

Plafon KUR Naik jadi Rp450 T, Airlangga Minta Pemda Genjot Penyaluran

Duo Bacapres Ganjar dan Anies Bertemu saat Ibadah Haji

Bakal Capres PDI Perjuangan Ganjar Pranowo dan bakal Capres Koalisi Perubahan Anies Baswedan bertemu dan akrab di sela menunaikan puncak ibadah haji di Arab Saudi.

Foto pertemuan Anies Baswedan dan Ganjar Pranowo di tanah suci ini diunggah di akun instagram @yusufmansurnew. Masing -masing Bersama keluarga, Ganjar dan Anies berfoto dengan mengenakan pakaian khas ibadah haji. Senyum sumringah pun terlihat dari wajah keduanya.

Juru Bicara DPP Partai Demokrat Herzaky Mahendra Putra menyebut pertemuan bakal calon presiden Anies Baswedan dengan Ganjar Pranowo saat beribadah haji ke Mekkah merupakan momen yang baik. Pasalnya, kata dia, antar bacapres bisa saling silaturahmi dan komunikasi di tanah suci.

Anies merupakan bakal capres usungan Partai Demokrat bersama Partai NasDem dan Partai Keadilan Sejahtera dalam Koalisi Perubahan untuk Persatuan. Sementara Ganjar telah dideklarasikan sebagai bakal capres oleh Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan (PDIP), Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP), Partai Hanura, dan Partai Perindo.

“Bagus ini, antar bacapres bertemu, silaturahmi, komunikasi. Apalagi di tanah suci,” kata Herzaky dalam keterangannya, Selasa, 27 Juni 2023.

Pertemuan Anies dengan Ganjar disebut Herzaky tidak direncanakan. Menurut dia, kala itu keduanya sedang makan siang di sebuah fasilitas kerajaan di kawasan Mina, Mekkah.

Herzaky berharap pertemuan Anies dengan Ganjar ini bisa membawa manfaat dan kebaikan bagi negeri. Menurut dia, kendati berbeda pilihan, bukan berarti jalinan persaudaraan juga mesti berhenti.

Pengamat politik dari Universitas Al-Azhar Ujang Komarudin menyebut pertemuan bakal calon presiden Anies Baswedan dengan Ganjar Pranowo saat beribadah haji ke Mekkah merupakan momen yang baik.

Pasalnya, kata dia, antar bacapres bisa saling silaturahmi dan komunikasi di tanah suci.

"Saya melihatnya sesuatu yang bagus dong silaturahmi, komunikasi itu memang hal yang harus dilakukan oleh siapapun bukan hanya mereka berdua antara Anies dan Ganjar tetapi oleh seluruh rakyat Indonesia," ucap Ujang saat dihubungi Wartakotalive.com, Selasa (27/6/2023).

Ujang menyebut bahwa sesungguhnya bersaing dalam kontestasi Pilpres dan beda dukungan koalisi atau partai politik (parpol) bukan untuk saling menghancurkan tetapi saling menghormati.

"Tetapi bagaimana perbedaan2 dalam pilpres itu menjadi sebuah kekayaan perbedaan yg harus tetap untuk saling menghargai dan menghormati satu sama lain," tambah dia.

Ujang berharap pertemuan Anies dengan Ganjar ini bisa membawa manfaat dan kebaikan bagi negeri.

Menurut dia, kendati berbeda pilihan, bukan berarti jalinan persaudaraan juga mesti berhenti.

Ia menyebut persamuhan Anies dengan Ganjar bisa jadi teladan bagi masyarakat di akar rumput.

Adapun di sisi lain, ia menyebut Koalisi Perubahan sedianya juga mengusung semangat tersebut.

"Esensi Pemilu adalah menghargai perbedaan ya setajam apapun perbedaannya, sehebat apapun perbedaannya dalam konteks dukungan itu maka sesungguhnya itu ada titik penghormatan terhadap perbedaan itu," jelas dia.

Pertemuan Anies Baswedan dengan Ganjar Pranowo dan mantan Ketua Umum PPP, Suharso Monoarfa di Mekkah, Arab Saudi, dipastikan bukan soal politik.

“Tidak ada momen politik di situ,” ujar Ketua DPP PPP, Achmad Baidowi saat ditemui di kawasan Cikini, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat, hari Selasa, 27/06/2023.

Dia menjelaskan, pertemuan ketiga tokoh politik itu tidak didesain, melainkan terjadi tiba-tiba.

“Itu hanya sebatas pertemuan ketemu secara kebetulan di jamuan makan oleh Kerajaan Arab Saudi,” katanya.

Maka dari itu, sosok yang kerap disapa Awiek ini memastikan, pertemuan Capres Koalisi Perubahan untuk Persatuan dengan Suharso dan Capres PDIP tersebut, tidak bisa dikaitkan persoalan politik.

“Di situ ibadah, enggak bakal bicara koalisi di situ itu. Ya fokusnya karena mau ke Arafah, karena haji itu di Arafah,” demikian Awiek menambahkan.

US Security Services Trying to Recruit Russian Diplomats in UN - Deputy Representative

©AP Photo / Adam Rountree

US security services are trying to recruit Russian diplomats working in Russia's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Deputy Permanent Representative Maria Zabolotskaya said at a committee meeting.

"The updated information presented by us indicates that the US keeps purposefully applying an entire range of measures and restrictions to our Permanent Mission and its employees aimed at reducing the effectiveness of our interaction with the UN, but moreover, at the provision of psychological pressure on Russian diplomats," Zabolotskaya said.

“How else to explain more and more intrusive recruiting approaches by local security services who approach employees on the street and at the airport,” she said.

Zabolotskaya said contextual advertising is used in social networks, search engines and at video hosting sites, for example YouTube, to demonstrate calls to cooperate with the FBI.

The latest comes just over a month after the US spy agency CIA undertook a social media campaign to target the Russian public so as to establish so-called "secure" lines where secrets could be shared with American officials.

At the time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters the targeting campaign was being monitored by officials.

US' John Kerry Admits Iraq War Was Based on Lie But Won't Call It Aggression

©AP Photo / Charles Krupa /

A former Vietnam veteran, John Kerry received significant criticism during his failed 2004 presidential run for "being for the [Iraq] war before he was against it."

The US special ambassador on climate change and former Secretary of State John Kerry recently admitted on French television that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was based on a lie, but refused to admit it was a war of aggression.

Appearing on French TV channel LCI, Kerry insisted the US invasion of Iraq was completely different from the conflict in Ukraine. The French journalist noted the invasion of Iraq was a war of aggression based on lies that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and links to al-Qaeda*.

John Kerry, pour montrer que l’Occident suit des principes faut-il aussi juger Bush pour l’Irak?
« -Non.
-N’était-ce pas un crime d’agression sur la base d’un mensonge?
-Non… Enfin, on ne savait pas que c’était un mensonge.
-Mais lui mentait.
-Écoutez, on ne va pas rouvrir le… pic.twitter.com/AtPJkQI30P

— Darius Rochebin (@DariusRochebin) June 25, 2023

The crux of Kerry's argument seems to be that former US President George W. Bush was never charged with a crime. “No, (it was not a war of aggression),” Kerry replied. “Because there’s never even been, you know, a process of direct accusation of President Bush himself.”

Kerry did not deny there were abuses in Iraq and claimed he “spoke out against them.” However, he repeatedly denied the war was an act of aggression by the United States.

“No, No, No. Well, you didn’t know it was a lie at the time. The evidence that was produced, people didn’t know that it was a lie,” Kerry stammered.

“Sir, that is not a constructive way,” the failed 2004 presidential candidate trailed off before concluding: “I’m not going to re-debate the Iraq War. We have spent a lot of time doing that previously, I was opposed to going in, I thought it was the wrong thing to do, but we gave the president the power, regrettably…. Based on the lie. And when we knew it was a lie, people stood up and did the right thing.”

Kerry, as the reporter pointed out, voted to authorize the invasion, though he would later campaign against it during his 2004 presidential run. The Iraq War would officially endure until 2011, though the US continues to station roughly 2,500 troops in Iraq to for its operations against Daesh (ISIS).

The Iraq War was sold on the premise that Iraq had or was developing weapons of mass destruction in violation of a UN resolution signed after the end of the Persian Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield/Storm).

The Bush administration and Tony Blair premiership in the UK presented fabricated evidence that Iraq was violating those sanctions and limiting UN weapon inspectors. Then-Secretary of State Colin Powell also uncritically recounted a report that captured al-Qaeda leader Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi stating Iraq was providing chemical weapons training to Al-Qaeda fighters, though a CIA report prior to his testimony indicated al-Libi would not have been in a position to know such information.

Post-war analysis showed that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had actually rebuffed meetings proposed by al-Qaeda operatives, that he never provided any material or operational support to the organization and saw them as a threat to his regime.

Two years after the attack, 69% of Americans believed Hussein was personally responsible for September 11 and 89% believed he was providing support to Osama bin Laden.

After losing to Bush in 2004, Kerry would later serve in the Obama administration as the secretary of state. Despite pledging to end the war, former US President Barack Obama kept it going for years and sent an additional 33,000 troops to the country in 2009.

US always puts interests over principles, Lavrov tells RT

The US’ goal in any situation is to secure profit for itself and it readily goes against its stated principles when it sees an opportunity, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RT on Monday, commenting on Washington’s reaction to the aborted mutiny in the country last weekend.

US media have claimed that the US opted to postpone planned sanctions against the private military company Wagner Group, whose leader Evgeny Prigozhin tried to use the force to oust senior Russian Generals on Saturday. The US wanted to avoid the optics that it was siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the turmoil, the reports said.

“This is just another piece of evidence that the US position depends on what it wants from every particular player, be it on the international arena or in some particular nation,” Lavrov said about the reports.

“The US has repeatedly shown bias and vested interests regarding the Ukrainian conflict,” he added. “They are the ones waging a war against Russia with Ukrainian hands, after all.”

The much-touted “rules-based order” that Washington wants to impose on the world is merely a mechanism for securing US interests, the minister added. These ‘rules’ have “nothing to do with either international law or with the laws of any nation, including Western ones,” he proposed.

Lavrov cited the whitewashing of the right-wing Ukrainian nationalist unit Azov as an example of Washington’s approach. The US Congress branded it a terrorist group that is unfit to receive American military assistance, before the hostilities in Ukraine erupted last year, he pointed out.

All that is now forgotten. They have rehabilitated Azov,” Lavrov said.

Members of the unit have been receiving heroes’ welcomes in the US, with former and serving US officials serving as their cheerleaders. For example, ex-US Ambassador to Moscow Michal McFaul welcomed Azov fighters at prestigious Stanford University last October.

Hajj 1444 begins as 2m pilgrims converge on Mina for ‘spiritual journey of lifetime

Mina - About 2 million pilgrims converged on the tent city of Mina on Monday morning to begin the spiritual journey of a lifetime, as the sacred pilgrimage of Hajj 1444 got underway.

By evening, the site reverberated to the sound of the pilgrims’ reciting Talbiyah, their prayer of intent to perform Hajj for the glory of Allah. Men wearing traditional seamless white cotton garments and women in abayas uttered the words, “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik (Oh God, here I am answering your call),” as they streamed into the massive site, about 8 kilometers northeast of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

Following the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, the pilgrims spent the first day of the pilgrimage, called Tarwiyah Day, engaged in supplications to make amends for their sins. They offered Dhuhr, Asr, Maghreb and Isha prayers, and overnight will make their final preparations before standing before God (wuqoof) on the plains of Mount Arafat on Tuesday.

After the dawn (Fajr) prayer on Tuesday, the pilgrims will leave for Mount Arafat, where the Prophet delivered his final sermon more than 1,400 years ago.

This year marks the return to a full-scale Hajj for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and Saudi authorities have put thorough plans in place to ensure the safe and flawless movement of pilgrims. More than 2 million are expected in total, including 1.6 million from other countries.

About 2 million pilgrims converged on Mina on Monday morning to begin Hajj. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)

Those Arab News spoke to had nothing but praise for officials’ efforts to make their Hajj experience as easy, pleasant and spiritual as possible.

Mohammed Hammad, from Nigeria, said: “I really feel great to be closer to the Almighty. This is a good opportunity to interact directly with the Almighty, and pray for good, peace and prosperity.”

Mohammed Nauman, from Afghanistan, said: “I am thankful to the Almighty Allah for this beautiful opportunity to perform Hajj. I don’t have words to express my feelings. May the Almighty make it easy for us all who are here and accept our Hajj.

“We will pray and recite the verses from the Qur’an here at the tent city and at Mount Arafat tomorrow, then will spend next night in Muzdalifah.”

Besides the logistical challenges of safely moving so many people from one location to another over the course of several days during Hajj, the searing heat, with temperatures of around 43 degrees Celsius, adds another layer of complexity.

“We have taken all precautions; we have doctors here ready to help if needed,” said Hafizullah, a pilgrim from Afghanistan

About 2 million pilgrims converged on Mina on Monday morning to begin Hajj. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)

“This is a very special moment of spiritual joy that cannot be described. I am close to the Almighty, being in his house. Making the pilgrimage empowered me and made me stronger.”

Abdulhafeed Al-Hamad from Sweden praised the amenities and services provided by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

“This (is my first time at Hajj and) I’m so hopeful and happy everything is going well,” he said. “It’s very nice to see all of these people … and the good planning, and there were no problems.

“I’m so glad to be here. I applied for many years but because of the coronavirus three years ago we couldn’t come. Now we made it, we did it.”

On Monday afternoon, Saudi officials gave updates on the arrival of pilgrims in Makkah and Mina, and reiterated their commitment to the health and safety of all those attending Hajj.

Talal Al-Shalhoub, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, confirmed the transportation of pilgrims to Mina was complete and they would remain there overnight in preparation for their visit to Mount Arafat on Tuesday.

Ayed Al-Gwenem, undersecretary at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, said 65 percent of all pilgrims completed the journey to Mina and the rest will be taken directly to Mount Arafat.

Mohammed Al-Abdulali, spokesman of the Ministry of Health, said more than 32 hospitals with a capacity of more than 6,000 beds stand ready to serve the healthcare needs of pilgrims.

About 2 million pilgrims converged on Mina on Monday to begin Hajj. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)

Hajj, which takes place during the month of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th and the final month of the Islamic calendar, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and every Muslim who is physically and financially able to do so is obliged to complete it at least once in their life.

The first step for a male pilgrim on first day of Hajj is to dress in the traditional white, seamless, two-piece garment, and enter a sacred state of “Ihram.” Women wear loose-fitting clothes and cover their hair.

Hajj lasts for five days. It officially begins on the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah. After Fajr prayers in Makkah, pilgrims travel to Mina, which is about 8 kilometers away. They spend the day and night there praying and reciting verses from the Qur’an.

The following day, pilgrims make their way to Arafat and remain on the desert plains, praying and repenting, until after sunset. This is the single most important day of Hajj and pilgrims who miss it are considered not to have completed the pilgrimage.

Pilgrims then make their way to Muzdalifah, a valley between Mina and Mount Arafat, where they spend the night in the open and gather small pebbles to be used during a special ritual the following day.

After Fajr prayers on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, pilgrims travel from Muzdalifah to Jamarat, where they throw the pebbles they collected at three pillars representing the Devil. Women and older people can delegate this responsibility to a man.

Men are then required to shave their heads, and women to cut off a lock of their hair, as they do after Umrah. Pilgrims are also required to sacrifice an animal and share the meat with people in need. Those unable to personally perform the sacrifice can delegate the task. Pilgrims then travel back to Makkah and the Grand Mosque.

Suhu 40°C - Jemaah haji mulai bergerak ke Arafah

Jemaah haji mulai berdatangan ke Masjid Namira yang terletak di Padang Arafah, hari Senin, 26/06/2023. ANTARA/Azis Kurmala.

Jemaah haji dari seluruh dunia mulai bergerak ke Padang Arafah untuk menjalani puncak ibadah haji yang dimulai dengan ritual wukuf di Arafah pada Selasa 9 Dzulhijjah 1444 Hijriah atau 27 Juni 2023.

Dari pantauan ANTARA, jemaah haji sudah mulai bergerak ke Padang Arafah dengan menggunakan bus-bus yang sudah disiapkan oleh otoritas Saudi.

Petugas keamanan berjaga-jaga di sepanjang perjalanan untuk mengatur lalu lintas dan pergerakan jemaah haji menuju Padang Arafah dari Mina.

Otoritas Saudi mengerahkan semua upaya guna melayani jemaah secara maksimal sesuai dengan arahan Penjaga Dua Masjid Suci Raja Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud dan Putra Mahkota Arab Saudi Pangeran Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, kata Menteri Urusan Islam, Dakwah, dan Penyuluhan Arab Saudi Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Syaikh.

Kerajaan Arab Saudi (KSA) telah mengeluarkan 1,8 juta e-visa untuk musim haji tahun ini dalam catatan waktu yang dilaporkan oleh Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Pengumuman itu dibuat oleh Wakil Menteri Haji dan Umrah Dr Abdulfattah Mashat dalam konferensi pers di Makkah pada Sabtu.

Mashat menyatakan pemerintah Saudi menekankan manajemen haji dan menyediakan lingkungan yang sesuai bagi jemaah untuk beribadah dengan mudah dan nyaman.

Ibadah haji tahun ini cukup menantang karena berlangsung pada suhu hampir 46 derajat Celcius.

Otoritas Saudi menggelar operasi skala besar untuk memastikan jemaah tetap sehat dan selamat.

Rukun Islam kelima ini adalah kewajiban sekali seumur hidup bagi semua Muslim yang mampu secara fisik dan finansial.

Jamaah haji Indonesia dipastikan dapat makan selama di Arafah

Padang Arafah yang menjadi lokasi wajib dikunjungi, menyiapkan sejumlah fasilitas yang membantu menyamankan para jamaah calon haji. Pewarta Ardi Irawan dan Subur Atmamiharja memberikan laporannya langsung dari Padang Arafah, Arab Saudi berikut ini

Petugas Penyelenggara Ibadah Haji (PPIH) Arab Saudi memastikan jamaah haji Indonesia mendapatkan makan selama fase puncak haji di Arafah juga saat di Mina.

"Iya jamaah haji akan mendapatkan makanan di Arafah dan Mina. Jumlah makannya sama, tiga kali sehari," kata Dirjen Penyelenggaraan Haji dan Umrah Hilman Latief seusai doa bersama petugas haji Daerah Kerja Madinah, di Mekkah, hari Senin, 26/06/2023.

Selama di Armuzna, jamaah haji Indonesia akan mendapatkan 15 kali makan dan ada dua jenis makanan yang diberikan, yaitu: makanan siap saji dan makanan yang dimasak di dapur-dapur yang ada di Arafah dan Mina.

Jamaah mulai mendapatkan makan siang pada 8 Zulhijah atau bersamaan dengan pergerakan jamaah dari Mekkah menuju Arafah, sehingga begitu jamaah datang, sudah langsung tersedia makanan.

Kedua, makan siang pada 9 Zulhijjah (saat puncak wukuf) agar jamaah tidak disibukkan oleh antrian mendapatkan makanan dan dengan makanan siap saji, maka konsumsi jamaah bisa dibagikan lebih awal.

Ketiga, makan malam pada 9 Zulhijah, tepatnya pada saat jamaah akan mulai bergerak menuju Muzdalifah.

Keempat, sarapan pagi pada 10 Zulhijah, saat jamaah baru tiba di Mina, dimaksudkan agar begitu jamaah tiba di Mina, sudah ada makanan.

Kelima, makan siang pada saat jamaah akan meninggalkan Mina, baik pada 12 Zulhijah untuk Nafar Awal maupun 13 Zulhijah untuk Nafar Tsani.

Di luar jam-jam itu, makanan di Armuzna akan disajikan secara reguler berupa masakan yang dimasak di dapur-dapur yang ada di Arafah dan Mina.

Menu makanan untuk jamaah haji disesuaikan dengan cita rasa Indonesia di antaranya ada mangut lele, rendang ayam, rendang daging, semur, gulai ikan, bubur kacang hijau, kacang merah, dan ketan hitam.

Sajian menu nusantara yang akan dihidangkan kepada jamaah haji Indonesia saat puncak haji itu akan disiapkan oleh Masyariq atau Muassasah

Pada pertengahan Juni, Hilman bersama tim juga telah melakukan pengecekan dan memastikan rasa makanan yang akan disajikan untuk jamaah sesuai dengan cita rasa dan kualitas makanannya dengan melakukan uji rasa makanannya (mealtest).

Menu masakan yang diuji rasa adalah makanan siap saji agar lebih memudahkan saat pelayanan dan rasa makanan juga terjaga di Armina.

Menu lauk siap saji tersebut, katanya, akan dipadu dengan nasi putih yang dikemas dalam kotak (box) dan jamaah haji juga akan mendapatkan buah-buahan dan air mineral seperti yang mereka dapat saat di hotel Mekkah.

Hilman menjelaskan menu masakan siap saji itu merupakan produk Indonesia, dimana pihak masyariq selaku mitra Kemenag bekerja sama dengan perusahaan di Indonesia dalam proses penyediaannya.