Riyadh – Saudi Arabia released images of King Salman carrying out hisroyal duties on Sunday, after a stunning purge of at least three princesincluding his brother and nephew for allegedly plotting a coup.
Saudi royal guards on Friday detained the trio, multiple sources told AFP,in a move that signals Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s tightening gripon power.
The detentions also raised speculation about the health of the 84-year-oldking and whether Prince Mohammed’s succession to the Arab world’s mostpowerful throne was imminent.
But the official Saudi Press Agency posted photos of the king presidingover the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Saudi ambassadors toUkraine and Uruguay.
A source close to the Saudi leadership told AFP on Saturday the “king ishealthy and fine” and the detentions were meant to enforce “discipline”within the royal family.
The crown prince is “in control” and the purge was carried out “after anaccumulation of negative behaviour by the two princes”, this source addedwithout elaborating.
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Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, a brother of King Salman, and themonarch’s nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef were detained after they wereaccused of plotting a palace coup aimed at unseating the crown prince, heirto the Saudi throne, sources said.
Prince Nayef’s younger brother, Prince Nawaf bin Nayef, was also detained,they added.
The detentions mark the latest crackdown by Prince Mohammed, the king’s sonwho has consolidated his grip on power with the imprisonment of prominentclerics and activists as well as princes and businessmen.
He is already viewed as the de facto ruler, controlling all the majorlevers of government, from defence to the economy. APP/AFP
