Al-Shehana Bint Saleh Appointed Deputy Secretary General of Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Asharq Al-Awsat
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Al-Shehana Bint Saleh Appointed Deputy Secretary General of Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Asharq Al-Awsat
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Asharq Al-Awsat

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued on Sunday a number of royal orders that included the appointment of Al-Shehana bint Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Azzaz as Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, at the excellent rank.

King Salman ordered relieving the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Prince Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf Al Muqrin, of his post, and appointed him as advisor at the Royal Court, at the rank of Minister.

The royal orders also included appointing Dr. Bandar bin Obaid bin Hamoud Al-Rasheed as Secretary to the Crown Prince, at the rank of Minister, in addition to his other duties.

The King appointed Ayman bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Siyari as Deputy Governor of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) for Investment and Research, at the rank of Minister.

He also appointed Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Amil as Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Ministers for Council Affairs, at the excellent rank, in addition to appointing Mansour bin Abdullah bin Ali bin Salamah as Deputy Secretary to the Crown Prince, at the excellent rank.

Abdulaziz bin Ismail bin Rashad Trabzoni was appointed as an advisor at the Royal Court, at the excellent rank, while Princess Haifa bint Mohammed bin Saud bin Khalid Al Abdulrahman Al Saud became deputy Minister of Tourism, at the excellent rank.

Dr. Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih was appointed Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, at the excellent rank, and Acting President of the Transport General Authority.

Ehab bin Ghazi bin Fahmy Al-Hashani became Deputy Minister of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing, at the excellent rank.

The King also appointed Eng. Abdulaziz bin Hamad bin Saleh Al-Rumaih as Deputy Minister of Health for Planning and Development, at the excellent rank, and Ahmed bin Sufyan bin Abdulrazzaq Al-Hassan, as Assistant Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, at the excellent rank.

Furthermore, Dr. Khalid bin Waleed bin Fadl Al-Thaher was appointed Deputy Governor of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) for Control and Technology, at the excellent rank.



Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Designation of 3 Muslim Brotherhood Branches as Terrorist 

This 2011 photo shows a Muslim Brotherhood office in Amman, Jordan. (AFP)
This 2011 photo shows a Muslim Brotherhood office in Amman, Jordan. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Designation of 3 Muslim Brotherhood Branches as Terrorist 

This 2011 photo shows a Muslim Brotherhood office in Amman, Jordan. (AFP)
This 2011 photo shows a Muslim Brotherhood office in Amman, Jordan. (AFP)

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed on Wednesday the United States' designation of the Muslim Brotherhood branches in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as terrorist organizations.

The ministry stressed the Kingdom’s condemnation of extremism and terrorism, its support for all that achieves security, stability, and prosperity of Arab countries, and the security of the region and the world.


Islamic Military Coalition Launches ‘Competence’ Military Strategic Initiative in Sierra Leone

Officials are seen at Tuesday's launch. (SPA)
Officials are seen at Tuesday's launch. (SPA)
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Islamic Military Coalition Launches ‘Competence’ Military Strategic Initiative in Sierra Leone

Officials are seen at Tuesday's launch. (SPA)
Officials are seen at Tuesday's launch. (SPA)

The Islamic Military Counter-Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) launched on Tuesday the “Competence” military strategic training for counter-terrorism in Sierra Leone.

The launch was attended by Sierra Leonean Minister of Internal Affairs Morie Lengor, IMCTC Secretary General of the Islamic Military Counter-Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) Major General Pilot Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi, senior military and security officials, civil representatives, and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Republic of Sierra Leone.

The initiative runs from January 13 to February 3, targeting the training and capacity building of 30 military and security personnel through an intensive 15-day program focused on counter-terrorism, including handling explosives, improvised devices, and unexploded ordnance, while enhancing the operational readiness of specialized forces.

The training aims to develop the skills and capabilities of personnel in counter-terrorism units and facilitate the transfer of advanced professional knowledge and expertise among member states, enabling them to address complex terrorist threats with high-level scientific and professional methods.


Saudi Govt Rejects Any Attempts to Undermine Somalia’s Sovereignty

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Rejects Any Attempts to Undermine Somalia’s Sovereignty

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government stressed on Tuesday the Kingdom’s rejection of any attempts “to create parallel entities that undermine Somalia's unity, territorial integrity, or national sovereignty.”

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.

The Cabinet welcomed the outcomes of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's extraordinary meeting on Somalia in Jeddah that stressed the Kingdom’s stance on Somalia.

The Cabinet reviewed recent high-level discussions between the Kingdom and various countries, focusing on regional developments, ongoing efforts to anchor security and peace, and the Kingdom's commitment to multilateral initiatives that drive global stability and foster collective responses to shared challenges.

The Cabinet reiterated the centrality of the Palestinian cause, stressing the Kingdom's unwavering support for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. These efforts aim to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Cabinet commended the successful conclusion of the Gulf Shield 2026 joint military exercise, hosted by Saudi Arabia. Featuring the air and air defense forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the GCC Unified Military Command, the exercise underscored the commitment to boosting regional defense cooperation and strengthening collective military readiness.

The Cabinet reviewed several high-profile economic events hosted by the Kingdom, specifically highlighting the Saudi-Japan Ministerial Investment Forum and the Saudi-Canadian Business and Investment Forum. The summits resulted in numerous memoranda of understanding across strategic sectors, including space, cybersecurity, ICT, manufacturing, education, finance, water, and agriculture.