Newly appointed minister visits Saudi National Guard command center

Saudi National Guard Minister Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz visits the National Guard command center in Riyadh on Thursday. (SPA)
Updated 04 January 2019
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Newly appointed minister visits Saudi National Guard command center

  • Prince Abdullah was given a tour by officers and the heads of numerous military bodies at the command center

Saudi Arabia’s National Guard Minister Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz on Thursday visited the National Guard command center at the ministry. 

Prince Abdullah, who listened in on a briefing organized by Abdullah Al-Tuwaijri, planning director, was given a tour by officers and the heads of numerous military bodies at the command center.

Al-Tuwaijri discussed the role played by officers at the center in managing combat and security operations, ensuring effective liaison with all military sectors during crises and disasters and exercising effective command and control of National Guard operations. 

The minister then conducted a video conference with Brig. Gen. Awad Al-Amiri, the commander in charge of the National Guard forces at the southern border.

Prince Abdullah praised the high morale among troops in the area, as well as their efforts in helping military forces ensure border safety. 


King Abdulaziz Foundation reveals rare images from king’s 1916 Basra visit

Updated 20 December 2025
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King Abdulaziz Foundation reveals rare images from king’s 1916 Basra visit

  • Photographs form part of a wider collection documented by British photographer Gertrude Bell

RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Foundation has revealed archival photographs documenting King Abdulaziz’s tour of the outskirts of Basra in 1916, a visit that came at an early stage of his efforts to build regional relationships.

One of the photographs, taken by British photographer Gertrude Bell, shows King Abdulaziz standing with his men in the Basra desert, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The image reflects his early political and diplomatic engagement in the region, as he sought to strengthen ties with neighboring areas and engage with the wider Arab and international community, SPA added.

The photograph forms part of a wider collection documented by Bell, which records key developments and transformations across the Arabian Peninsula during the early 20th century.

The Basra visit holds particular significance in King Abdulaziz’s journey as a unifying leader. 

Rather than crossing borders in pursuit of power, the visit reflected an approach focused on stability, cooperation and long-term regional harmony, laying the groundwork for a leadership style defined by pragmatism and openness, SPA said.