Saudi military leader forced out amid corruption probe

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sacked a top military commander and his son on Monday as part of an anti-corruption purge.

The decree said Prince Fahd bin Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Said would be removed from his post as commander of joint forces in the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen and would be placed in retirement. His son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd has been relieved of his post as deputy governor of the al-Jouf region.

State media said Al Said was replaced by Mutlaq bin Salim, the deputy chief of staff, on the recommendation of the kingdom’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Several other officers and civilian employees of the defense ministry were also being probed for corruption.

Saudi author and analyst Ali Shihabi said the government decision to remove the commander was a “very public signal against corruption in the military.”

Years of battling corruption continues

The Crown Prince has made fighting corruption a major component of his reforms for the country. After he became an heir to the throne in 2017 in a palace coup that removed his predecessor, his anti-corruption campaign has detained several royals, ministers and businessmen wrapped up in corruption stings.

Many of them were released after reaching undisclosed settlements. They were held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh.Authorities said they recovered more than 400 billion Saudi riyals ($107 billion, €89 billion) from the detainments at the Ritz-Carlton.

Critics called the purge a power grab by the crown prince in order to push people out of his way to his eventual succession to the throne and crack down on dissent.

In March, authorities arrested almost 300 government officials, including military and security officers, on charges involving bribery and exploiting public office.

The ongoing battle in Yemen since 2015 has been considered a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The conflict has ben in a military stalemate for years.

kbd/aw (Reuters, AFP)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/saudi-military-leader-forced-out-amid-corruption-probe/a-54776128?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf