Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat- Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz were sworn in yesterday before the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as new Minister of Defense and new Governor of Riyadh Region respectively.

The oath took place during an audience held by the monarch for princes, Ulema, sheikhs, ministers, senior civil and military officials and a group of citizens who came to greet and congratulate him on the occasion of Eid Al-Adh-ha.

For his part, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz expressed deep pride and great appreciation and gratitude to the King for the precious trust by appointing him as defense minister, appealing to Allah the Almighty to help him fulfill the job as would be.

Prince Salman’s replacement as new Governor of Riyadh also thanked the monarch for the royal trust bestowed on him, asking God to make it a complete success.

King Abdullah, on Saturday issued a royal decree appointing Prince Salman as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense, succeeding his brother the late Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to the post.

This came as part of a series of royal decrees issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, which included the renaming of the “Minister of Defense, Aviation, and General Inspection” as the “Minister of Defense.”

A second royal decree announced the appointment of Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as Governor of Riyadh Region at the rank of minister, and the appointment of Prince Mohammed Bin Saad Bin Abdulaziz as his deputy, also at the rank of minister. Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz succeeds the newly appointed Saudi Defense Minister as the Governor of Riyadh.

The royal decree also included the announcement of the appointment of Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz as Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense at the rank of minister.