Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman Resumes Royal Purge... 'Military Power Figure Abruptly Ousted'

Sudanese Prince Leading Yemen Civil War Abruptly Replaced

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The anti-corruption campaign targeting high-ranking royals has resumed in Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman abruptly replaced and arrested a powerful Saudi military figure who led the Yemen war on charges of corruption.

According to foreign media on the 1st (local time), Prince Fahd bin Turki Al Saud, who commanded the Saudi-led international coalition forces in the Yemen war, was suddenly ousted. Prince Abdullah, Fahd's son, also stepped down from his position as governor of Al Jawf.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that the two princes, along with several military officials, are under investigation for corruption charges. This decision is reported to have been made by Crown Prince bin Salman following suspicions of suspicious financial transactions related to the Ministry of Defense.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

Previously, Crown Prince bin Salman launched an anti-corruption crackdown in 2017, detaining hundreds of royals, senior officials, and businessmen at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He recovered approximately $100 billion in settlements and other funds, which were returned to the national treasury. At the time, critics argued that the purge was a personal power consolidation under the guise of anti-corruption.

In March of this year, about 300 individuals, including retired generals and judges, were detained on charges such as bribery and public fund misappropriation. In Saudi Arabia, which has long suffered from chronic corruption, the public has consistently shown support whenever anti-corruption measures target royals or high-ranking officials.

Prince Fahd’s purge can be seen as part of the anti-corruption campaign, but it may also be interpreted as holding him accountable for the Yemen war. Prince Fahd, who became a soldier in the 1980s, led the Saudi-led coalition forces in the Yemen war since 2018. Saudi Arabia, which has poured enormous funds into defense, has struggled against the poorly equipped Yemeni Houthi rebels, raising doubts about the entire Saudi military.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.