ADVERTISEMENT

Saudi King’s Bodyguard Is Killed in ‘Personal Dispute’

The assailant, who also wounded a friend and a Filipino worker, was killed by security forces after refusing to surrender.

Saudi King’s Bodyguard Is Killed in ‘Personal Dispute’
King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s king, center, looks on during his meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- A prominent bodyguard of Saudi King Salman was killed following a personal dispute, state-run media reported.

Major General Abdulaziz Al Faghem died of gunshot wounds in hospital after a friend shot him at Al Shatti district of the Red Sea city of Jeddah, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday, citing the spokesman of the Mecca region police. The incident took place at a mutual friend’s house, he said.

The assailant, who also wounded the mutual friend and a Filipino worker, was killed by security forces after refusing to surrender, the spokesman said. Five security personnel were also wounded, he said.

Al Faghem, who had often been seen pictured with King Salman and the late King Abdullah, was widely described as “the kings’ walking stick.” His name was trending on Twitter in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

To contact the reporters on this story: Fahad Alzahrani in Dubai at falzahrani1@bloomberg.net;Nadeem Hamid in Washington at nhamid3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chua Baizhen at bchua14@bloomberg.net, Alaa Shahine

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.