Asia

Saudi king sacks defence officials

A number of Saudi officials, including two members of the royal family, have been sacked.

A royal decree said Saudi King Salman had relieved Prince Fahad bin Turki of his role as commander of joint forces in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

His son, Abdulaziz bin Fahad, was also removed as a deputy governor.

The men, along with four other officials, face an investigation into “suspicious financial dealings” at the Ministry of Defence, the decree said.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is the king’s son and is considered Saudi Arabia’s de-facto ruler, has spearheaded a campaign against alleged corruption in the government.

However, critics say the high-profile arrests have been aimed at removing obstacles to the prince’s hold on power.

Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that three senior royals had been arrested, including the king’s younger brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz and former crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef.

The most high-profile incident, in 2017, saw dozens of Saudi royal figures, ministers and businessmen detained at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh.

Most of them were later released, but only after reaching settlements worth a total of $106.7bn (£75.6bn) with the Saudi state.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 35, won international praise when he promised a series of economic and social reforms to the deeply-conservative country after coming to power in 2016.

However he has been embroiled in a series of scandals, including the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul in 2018 and an alleged murder plot against a former Saudi intelligence agent in Canada.

He has also been criticised over the continuing conflict in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia backs pro-government forces, and the harsh treatment of women’s rights activists. despite the lifting of some restrictions including the right to drive.

 

Source: BBC

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

Related Articles

Back to top button