Saudi king creates new security agency separate from interior ministry

DUBAI - 20 July 2017: Saudi King Salman on Thursday ordered the creation of a new cabinet-level security apparatus to handle a range of matters including counter-terrorism that were previously under the aegis of the Interior Ministry.

In a series of royal decrees published by the state news agency, the king appointed Abdulaziz bin Mohammed al-Howairini to head the new body.

The decrees also saw the appointment of Mohammed el Kuwaiz as head of the Saudi Arabian Capital Markets Authority (CMA).