AMN / RIYADH
Saudi King Salman has sacked his military chief and a number of other top commanders in a series of royal decrees issued late last night.
The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) informed about the termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff, adding that Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement. No reasons have been assigned for the present shake-up.
The series of royal decrees also saw the appointment of new governors, deputy governors of provinces across the kingdom as well as new ministers to several posts.
No official reason was given for the changes, but they come as the kingdom’s bloody conflict with Yemen’s Huthi rebels nears the end of its third year. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the defence minister, is believed to be behind various recent shake-ups in the country.
The plans outline the ministry’s vision and strategy, and its organizational structure, governance and human resources requirements to meet the national defense strategy.
The king also announced a raft of key civil and military appointments in a series of decrees on Monday night.
Prince Badr bin Sultan is the new governor of Al-Jouf, replacing Prince Fahd bin Badr, who becomes a minister and adviser to the king.
Prince Turki bin Talal is the new deputy governor of Asir, and Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Muqrin deputy governor of Hail. Dr. Tamadir bint Yousef Al-Rimah has been made deputy minister of labor and social development.
The military Chief of Staff, Gen. Abdurahman Al-Bunyan, has retired, and he has been made an adviser at the Royal Court. He is replaced by Lt. Gen. Fayad Al-Ruwaili, deputy chief of staff, who has been promoted to general.
Prince Sultan bin Ahmad has been appointed an adviser at the Royal Court, as has Prince Faisal bin Turki, who also has the rank of minister.
Shalaan bin Shala’an was appointed Deputy Attorney General and Eng. Ibrahim Al-Sultan, Adviser to the Royal Court, was made a member of the Council of the Supreme Commission for the development of Riyadh City, the Council of the Development Authority of Makkah Region, the Council of the Development Authority of Madinah, the Board of Trustees of the High Commission for the development of Hail and the Council of the Supreme Authority for the development of the Eastern Region.
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