RIYADH: King Salman approved plans on Monday for the development of the Saudi Ministry of Defense.
The plans outline the ministry’s vision and strategy, and its organizational structure, governance and human resources requirements to meet the national defense strategy.
The king also announced a raft of key civil and military appointments in a series of decrees on Monday night.
Prince Badr bin Sultan is the new governor of Al-Jouf, replacing Prince Fahd bin Badr, who becomes a minister and adviser to the king.
Prince Turki bin Talal is the new deputy governor of Asir, and Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Muqrin deputy governor of Hail. Dr. Tamadir bint Yousef Al-Rimah has been made deputy minister of labor and social development.
The military Chief of Staff, Gen. Abdurahman Al-Bunyan, has retired, and he has been made an adviser at the Royal Court. He is replaced by Lt. Gen. Fayad Al-Ruwaili, deputy chief of staff, who has been promoted to general.
Prince Sultan bin Ahmad has been appointed an adviser at the Royal Court, as has Prince Faisal bin Turki, who also has the rank of minister.
Shalaan bin Shala’an was appointed Deputy Attorney General and Eng. Ibrahim Al-Sultan, Adviser to the Royal Court, was made a member of the Council of the Supreme Commission for the development of Riyadh City, the Council of the Development Authority of Makkah Region, the Council of the Development Authority of Madinah, the Board of Trustees of the High Commission for the development of Hail and the Council of the Supreme Authority for the development of the Eastern Region.
Saudi king approves new strategy for defense ministry
Saudi king approves new strategy for defense ministry
Saudi Arabia welcomes ceasefire agreement between Syrian Democratic Forces and Syria state
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has welcomed an agreement between the Syrian state and Syrian Democratic Forces.
In a foreign ministry statement early on Monday, the Kingdom said it had welcomed an deal between Damascus and Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces that was announced by the Syrian government on Sunday.
The agreement entails merging all SDF forces into the defense and interior ministries and means that Kurdish forces will redeploy to east of the Euphrates river.
The 14-point deal would also see the immediate administrative and military handover of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa governorates.
The Syrian state would regain control of all border crossings, oil fields, and gas fields in the region, with protection secured by regular forces to ensure the return of resources to the Syrian government, while considering the special case of Kurdish areas, the state news agency SANA reported.
The ceasefire comes after intense fighting between the SDF and government troops in Aleppo. But SDF troops have now pulled back from there and the Syrian army now controls most areas east of Aleppo.
The Saudi foreign ministry statement also thanked the US for the agreement. Washington is believed to have supported brokering the ceasefire between allies SDF and the Syrian government, who they have also backed diplomatically since the fall of long-time dictator Bashar Assad.
The Syrian state announced on Friday a raft of new directives to recognize Syrian Kurds, including making their language official and bolstering other rights for the minority group.
