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Saudis pledge allegiance to new Crown Prince

Saudis pledge allegiance to new Crown Prince
Saudis pledge allegiance to new Crown Prince
RIYADH, April 29 (KUNA) -- The ceremony to pledge allegiance to the newly-appointed Crown Prince Mohammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz started at the Governance Palace here Wednesday evening.
It started with Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pledging allegiance to the new Crown Prince, and then other princes, the General Mufti of the Kingdom, ministers, senior civilian and military officials, and a large number of citizens followed suit.
Earlier today King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued royal decrees relieving Prince Muqrin of his posts as Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister, under the latter's request, and appointing Prince Mohammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz as replacement for him and Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz as Deputy Crown Prince.
Besides the posts of Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister, Prince Mohammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz doubles as Minister of Interior and President of the Council for Political and Security Affairs.
While Prince Mohammad Ben Salman doubles as Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and President of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs, under the royal decrees. In his address to the ceremony, General Mufti of the Kingdom Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh, who is also Chairman of the Senior Ulema Commission, the Standing Committee for Religious Research and Ifta, congratulated the Crown Prince and the Deputy Crown Prince. He gave his blessing to the new appointees by offering them allegiance pledge upon the teachings of the holy Quran and instructions of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh).
The General Mufti urged all citizens remain loyal to the leader of the nation King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and wished the two senior officials every success and the nation to benefit from the royal orders.
The end of the ceremony marks the official inauguration of the Kingdom's two senior nominees. (end) yms.gb