News / Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia sacks information minister, ambassador to US

Saturday, 22 April 2017 11:17 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 23 April 2017 2:27 AM ]

Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in cockpit of jet fighter (File photo)

Saudi Arabia has sacked Information Minister Adel Al-Toraifi and has also replaced its ambassador to the US.

According to a royal decree issued on Saturday, Toraifi was replaced with former ambassador to Germany Awwad bin Al-Awwad.

Civil Service Minister Khaled Al-Arj was also fired and Ibrahim al-Omar was announced as the new governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, an air force pilot and son of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, was also named as the kingdom’s ambassador to the US replacing Prince Abdullah bin Faisal bin Turki.

"Prince Abdullah bin Faysal bin Turki removed as ambassador to the US. Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz appointed ambassador" read an official statement.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis (C-R) is greeted by Saudi Armed Forces Chief of Joint Staff General Abdul Rahman Al Banyan (C-L) upon his arrival at the Riyadh Air Base on April 18, 2017.

The replacement came just a few days after a trip by US Defense Secretary James Mattis to Saudi Arabia.

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A two-month pay bonus was also announced for Saudi troops engaged in operations against Yemen.

Since March 2015, Yemen has been heavily bombarded by Saudi warplanes as part of a brutal military campaign against the impoverished country in an attempt to reinstall Hadi and crush the Houthis.

Latest tallies show that the imposed war has so far killed over 12,000 Yemenis and wounded thousands more. The Saudi aggression has also taken a heavy toll on the country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.

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