Saudi Arabia has replaced top military commanders, including its chief of staff, in the latest move to bring fresh blood into the kingdom's upper ranks, AFP reported Tuesday (February 27th).
The changes were announced in a string of royal decrees late Monday.
Since King Salman named his son, Prince Mohammed, as heir to the throne in June, the kingdom has witnessed a string of reform, launched at breakneck speed and aimed at moving Saudi Arabia away from its economic dependence on oil.
The monarch on Monday replaced the heads of the ground forces and air defences as well as several deputy ministers, and in a rare move named a woman to the government.
"Termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff," the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) announced, adding that Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement.
Meanwhile, a Saudi woman, Tamadar Bint Yousef al-Ramah, was appointed the deputy minister of labour and social development.
Prince Turki bin Talal, the brother of billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, was appointed deputy governor of the southern Assir Province.
