Fahd bin Turki Al Saud

Fahd bin Turki Al Saud (born August 1959) is a Saudi Arabian prince and military officer who served as the commander of the Saudi-led coalition joint forces operating in Yemen. He was relieved from his position and forced into retirement upon a royal decree issued on 31 August 2020.[1] In June 2021, he was said to have been sentenced to death over an alleged coup attempt.[2]

Fahd bin Turki Al Saud
BornAugust 1959
Allegiance Saudi Arabia
Service/branch Royal Saudi Land Forces
Years of service1983–2020
Rank Lieutenant general
Commands heldRSLF
Joint forces in Yemen
Battles/warsSaudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Alma materU.S. Army Field Artillery School
U.S. International University
SpouseAbeer bint Abdullah Al Saud

Early life and education

Prince Fahd was born in August 1959.[3] He is the son of Prince Turki II bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Noura bint Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman, a daughter of his grandfather Ibn Saud's half-brother, Abdullah.[3][4] Prince Fahd's full-brothers are Prince Khalid (born December 1957), Prince Faisal (born January 1965) and Prince Sultan (born May 1968).[3]

Prince Fahd completed the U.S. Army Field Artillery School in 1984.[5] He also has a master's degree in international business administration from the U.S. International University.[5]

Career

Prince Fahd joined the Saudi military in 1983.[5] He first led paratroops and then special forces.[5][6][7] Later he became deputy commander of ground forces and led the joint special operations, including Decisive Storm and Restoring Hope.[8] Until the death of Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz who was the defense minister Prince Fahd allied with him.[9]

Prince Fahd was appointed the commander of the Saudi-led coalition joint forces in February 2018.[10] He was the commander of the Royal Saudi Land Forces from April 2017.[10][11]

On 31 August 2020 Fahd bin Turki was replaced by Mutlaq bin Salim Al Azaima in the post of Joint Coalition Forces Commander in Yemen.[1] He was forcibly retired following his removal.[12] The reason for Prince Fahd's dismissal was corruption allegations in regard to the transactions at the ministry of defense.[13]

In June 2021, he was said to have been sentenced to death by a military court over an alleged coup attempt to remove King Salman and his son and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman.[2] King Salman and Mohammed bin Salman are Fahd's uncle and cousin, respectively.

Personal life

The wife of Fahd bin Turki is Abeer bint Abdullah, a daughter of King Abdullah.[14] Fahd bin Turki and Abeer bint Abdullah have four children, one son and three daughters.[15] Their son, Abdulaziz, was named deputy governor of Al Jouf province in 2017.[14][16] His tenure also ended on 31 August 2020 when his father was dismissed.[1][17] One of their daughters married Mishaal bin Sultan Al Saud, son of Prince Sultan, in 2013.[18]

Fahd bin Turki bought a home on La Jolla's Whale Watch Way in San Diego, California, in the late 1970s.[19]

References
  1. "Saudi king removes commander of Yemen forces over corruption claims". Middle East Eye. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  2. Ali Al-Ahmed (27 June 2021). "Exclusive: Senior Saudi Prince Sentenced to Death in Military Trial". Institute for Gulf Affairs. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  3. Sabri Sharaf (2001). The House of Saud in Commerce: A Study of Royal Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. New Delhi: I.S. Publications. p. 124. ISBN 978-81-901254-0-6.
  4. "Death on the Nile: A royal murder mystery?". Datarabia. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  5. FaceOf: Prince Fahad bin Turki bin Abdul Aziz, commander of the joint forces of the Saudi-led Arab coalition in Yemen. Arab News. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  6. Mohammad Tawfeeq. (27 February 2018). Saudi Arabia replaces military commanders in late-night reshuffle. CNN. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  7. Jeremy Binnie. (1 March 2018). Top Saudi commanders replaced. Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  8. Farhan Musaad Z. Alnawmasi (21 April 2020). "Defending Yemeni Legitimacy". UNIPATH. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  9. Hamid Hussain (August 2017). "Royal Rumble - Dynamics of Saudi Royal Family". Defence Journal. 21 (1). ProQuest 1932313647.
  10. "Royal Order Ends Services of Two Senior Generals, Promotes Six and Appoints Them In Senior Posts". Defense Aerospace. SPA. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  11. "Forces Leaders". Ministry of Defense. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  12. David G. Rose (1 September 2020). "Saudi king sacks commander of the country's war in Yemen in anti-corruption purge". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  13. "Saudi King Fires 2 Royals in Defense Corruption Inquiry". The New York Times. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  14. David Hearst (7 September 2020). "Saudi purge: Why Mohammed bin Salman can never rest". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  15. "الأمير فهد بن تركي: من هو الأمير السعودي المُقال والمُحال للتحقيق؟". BBC Arabic. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  16. Karen Elliott House. "Saudi Arabia in Transition: From Defense to Offense, But How to Score?" (PDF). Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. p. 7. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  17. "Saudi, Yemen military shakeups could mark new chapter in war". The Arab Weekly. Riyadh. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  18. "من هي زوجة الامير مشعل بن سلطان – ترند السعودية" (in Arabic). Saudi Trend. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  19. "S.D. Security Firm Sues Saudi Prince". The Los Angeles Times. 30 March 1981. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
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