RIYADH: The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has dismissed and retired air force chief General Mohammed Al Ayesh bya royal decree, the official SPA news agency reported yesterday, without elaborating on why.
The monarch named General Fayadh bin Hamed Al Rowaili to succeed him, the agency added.
In April, the deputy defence minister, Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, a member of the royal family who played a key role in the 1991 Gulf War over Kuwait, was also dismissed by royal decree. Again, no explanation was given for the move.
Egypt detains opposition activist
CAIRO: Egypt’s security forces yesterday detained the founder of one of the key youth movements behind the 2011 uprising that toppled the former regime upon his arrival at Cairo Airport from Vienna, a security official said.
Ahmed Maher of the April 6 movement was arrested at the airport “based on the orders of the general security department at the interior ministry,” the official said. His passport was confiscated and he was transferred to the prosecution for questioning, the official Mena news agency said. According to an interior ministry official quoted by Mena, Maher is accused of incitement to protest outside the house of Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim.
Libyan unrest: UK mission cuts staff
TRIPOLI/ISTANBUL: Bombs exploded outside two police stations in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi on Thursday night and Britain temporarily cut staff at its embassy in Tripoli because of security fears.
The blasts, which caused damage but no casualties, were the latest signs of insecurity in Benghazi, the birthplace of the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The government has also struggled to keep order in the capital Tripoli, where the French embassy was bombed less than three weeks ago. Armed groups seized control of two government ministries a few days later to press demands on parliament and have refused to leave until the prime minister steps down.
Anti-terror protest draws hundreds
TUNIS: Hundreds of Tunisians, including police, human rights activists and political party representatives, protested on Friday against “terrorism” after the government said two wanted jihadist groups had ties with Al-Qaeda.
Agencies
