Agencies
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah yesterday reshuffled top defence posts, removing the deputy minister and the chief of staff, state news agency SPA reported.
He also appointed his son Prince Turki as governor of Riyadh region, SPA said.
Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz was removed from his post as deputy defence minister “upon his request”, SPA said, citing a royal decree. He was replaced by Prince Khaled bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, the governor of Riyadh.
The outgoing deputy minister is a son of the late Crown Prince Sultan, who served as a defence minister for nearly five decades.
SPA said the king also removed the chief of staff, General Hussein al-Qabeel, who was retiring, and replaced him with his deputy, General Fayad al-Rawyli.
The defence overhaul came a month after the king removed the powerful intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan.
Prince Turki’s elevation to one of the most important positions held by ruling family members comes months after another son of the king, Prince Mishaal, was made governor of Makkah province.
Until 2011, the position of Riyadh governor had been held for five decades by Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, who was made crown prince in 2012.
Prince Turki was born in 1970.
King Abdullah has made a series of changes and appointments over the past two years.
The most recent was the appointment of Prince Muqrin as deputy crown prince.