Crown prince sacks top generals before UK visit
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince sacked his most senior generals on the eve of a visit to Britain, where his conduct of the war in Yemen is expected to attract fierce protests.
A late-night decree said that the chief of staff, General Abdulrahman Al-Bunyan, was retiring along with the heads of the ground and air defence forces. No reason was given.
The changes were announced as part of a wider shakeup in royal advisory positions and provincial governorships.
The Saudi army is bogged down in a war in Yemen, which has spilled into Saudi Arabia’s southern reaches. It has proved unpopular at home and tarnished the image abroad of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Known as MBS, he is due to make a visit to Britain, France and the United States starting next week, his most ambitious tour of foreign capitals since he took up his position in July last year.
In Britain he will meet Prime Minister Theresa May, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, and unnamed senior royals, possibly at Windsor Castle. Ministers want Saudi Arabia to choose London for the stock market flotation of Aramco, the stateowned oil company, over bids from New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Mohammed’s advisers are understood to be nervous at the reception he will receive, particularly in Britain, where protests are being organised to criticise the United Kingdom’s support for the Saudi armed forces.
The sacking of the generals may be intended to strengthen Mohammed’s position at home, which has been under greater threat since he ordered the arrests of a host of fellow princes on corruption allegations last November. Most have been released after agreeing to settle claims with the government for billions of dollars. but the unprecedented action, which involved the prince who was head of the internal security force, the National Guard, is likely to have increased resentment.
Several deputy ministers were appointed, including Tamadur bint Youssef al-Ramah as deputy labour minister, a rare senior post for a woman in the deeply conservative kingdom.
Thousands of civilians have died since Saudi Arabia entered the Yemen war, the majority in air strikes. Britain has provided training and advice on targeting for the Saudi air force, as well as continuing to send arms and to service Saudi Arabia’s fleet of BAE Tornado jets.