RIYADH: Top military commanders of the Saudi Arabian armed forces have been dismissed by a series of late-night royal decrees.
The commanders of the air defence and ground forces have also been sacked with their replacements appointed immediately. The sackings were ordered by King Salman but his son and heir, the Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, who is also the defence minister is believed to be behind the latest shake-ups in the corridors of power within the country. No official reason has been given for their dismissals.
The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) announced that the Chief of Staff General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan has been replaced by Fayyad al-Ruwaili.
A number of political appointments were also announced at the same time, including designating Prince Turki bin Talal as the Deputy Governor of Assir province and Tamadar bint Yousef al-Ramah as the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Development. Tamadar bint Yousef al-Ramah is one of the few women who has been appointed as a senior government official in the country.
The changes in military high command come as the Saudi intervention in Yemen nears its third consecutive year. The UN has described the conflict as the “world worst humanitarian crisis.”