Suspicions Internal execution: Saudi Military Official Died in Mysterious Circumstances
The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced the death of Assistant Minister of Defense, Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Ayesh, in mysterious circumstances, amid suspicions that it could be an internal assassination.
The official news agency “SPA” only said that “the assistant defense minister, Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Ayesh, died from illness he has been suffering.”
It is noteworthy that Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Ayesh joined the Royal Saudi Air Force, and held several positions until he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Air Force, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force and finally Assistant Minister of Defense, and he was awarded several medals.
On July 23, the killing of a senior Saudi security official, Colonel Muhammad bin Maran bin Quwaid, in mysterious circumstances sparked controversy and anger in the Kingdom in light of the escalation of security chaos and fears of internal liquidation operations.
The killing of Colonel bin Qawaid brought back to mind the killing of Major General Abdulaziz Al-Fagham, King Salman’s bodyguard at the end of last September.
At that time, a Saudi Interior Ministry statement said that during the visit of Al-Fagham to his friend, Al-Sabti, a mutual friend called Mamdouh bin Mishaal Al Ali” entered them.
The statement indicated that during the conversation, discussion developed between Al-Fagham and the Al Ali, so the latter left the house, returned with a firearm and shot Al-Fagham.
Observers and tweeters questioned, the official Saudi narrative about the circumstances of the crime. Some of them wondered why the security personnel were outside the house at the time of the incident, and killing the perpetrator directly to close the file.
On June 16, Saudi Princess Rima bint Talal bin Abdulaziz revealed that her nephew, the young Prince Muhammad bin Khalid, escaped from certain death in a terrible accident, without disclosing additional details about the accident.
Saudi sources suggested that the incident was an assassination attempt for the prince, who is one of the opponents of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, especially that the damage to his vehicle was massive.
The assassination incident brings to mind what the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul witnessed, on October 2, 2018, which was one of the most heinous crimes, luring in to the consulate the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, strangling him, and killing him before dismembering and hiding his body.
