The recently ousted crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Nayef, has been placed under house arrest and banned from traveling abroad, sources have revealed.
A report published by the New York Times on Thursday quoted four current and former American officials and Saudis close to the royal family as saying that Mohammad bin Nayef is confined to his palace in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. It was unclear how long the restrictions would remain in place.
The move comes days after octogenarian Saudi King Salman dismissed him and elevated his own son Mohammed bin Salman, aged 31, to the post. The elder prince was also replaced as interior minister by a 33-year-old nephew. The move by the ailing monarch shook up the line of succession with a string of royal decrees thereby creating dissent and tensions within the Al Saud (House of Saud).
Until the recent changes, Saudi Arabia system of succession was not based on transfer of power from father to son. Ibn Saud was the first ruler of kingdom after its founding in 1932 but all six subsequent kings have been his sons, meaning the crown has passed from brother to brother.
Sources close to the royal family said the new restrictions had been imposed almost immediately after Mohammed bin Salman's promotion.
Many in royal family oppose bin Salman's elevation
The restrictions placed on the elder prince suggest fear that some members of the sprawling royal family are upset with the change, and that public appearances by him could exacerbate such sentiments.
The elevation of bin Salman abruptly ended the political ambitions of many older princes, some of whom consider him rash, power hungry and inexperienced. Crown Prince Mohammed also serves as the kingdom's defense minister, putting him in charge of Saudi Arabia's costly military aggression against neighboring Yemen. Despite inflicting massive suffering on the Yemeni civilians, the Saudi regime failed to achieve any of its military or political objectives.
He is also behind the disastrous Saudi policy on Syria. Bin Salman has also opened two new fronts: one against Qatar and the other against Iran. Such provocative policies pursued by the young prince have not gone down well with many in the royal family.
King Salman may abdicate in favor of son
Speculation is rife that King Salman will abdicate in favor of his son to ensure there is no challenge to the naive and inexperienced bin Salman to ascend to the throne. While bin Salman may assume power in the presence of his father there is no guarantee that other members of the ruthlessly ambitious House of Saud would take this lying down. After all, despite all the archaic and barbaric practices that characterize the medieval kingdom, age still matters.
Tensions are high and various rival factions in the House of Saud are probably waiting for ailing King Salman to be lowered into the grave before they go for each other's throats. If bin Salman, ascends to the throne, Saudi Arabia could be headed for a desert storm with the coming infighting set to have many casualties including inevitable collapse of the Saudi dynasty.
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/7367
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