Saudi Arabia replaced its foreign minister and shuffled other key government posts Thursday as its leaders continue to grapple with the backlash to the killing by Saudi agents of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The government overhaul, announced in a string of decrees by the Saudi leader, King Salman, elevated allies of the king’s son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to head a critical security agency and other posts, in moves seen as aiding the prince’s ongoing consolidation of power.
No women were named to the most senior cabinet positions.
Adel al-Jubeir, a veteran diplomat who is well known in Washington and served as ambassador there for eight years before being appointed foreign minister in 2015, was replaced by Ibrahim al-Assaf, a former finance minister, according to the decrees. Jubeir was named minister of state for foreign affairs, with responsibilities that remain unclear.
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