New Commander for Joint Forces in Yemen: Fahd Al-Salman Takes the Helm

On August 29th, 2024, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia issued a royal decree appointing Fahd bin Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Salman as the new commander of the Joint Forces, replacing the previous commander, Mutlaq bin Salem Al-Azima.

The royal decree, published by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), stated that Lieutenant General Mutlaq bin Salem bin Mutlaq Al-Azima, commander of the Joint Forces, was retired effective immediately.

Article four of the decree promoted Brigadier General Fahd bin Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Salman to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed him as the new commander of the Joint Forces.

Who is Fahd Al-Salman?

Lieutenant General Fahd Al-Salman hails from the city of Jalajil in the Al-Majma'ah Governorate, Riyadh Region. His family is considered one of the most prominent in Saudi Arabia.

• In April 2020, Fahd Al-Salman was appointed commander of the Arar Force, stationed in the Northern Border Region of Saudi Arabia bordering Iraq.
• He served as the Director of the Joint Operations Center in Diriyah under the General Staff.
• He was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff of the Saudi Armed Forces.
• In June 2023, he was appointed commander of the joint exercise "Eagle Resolve 23", conducted at the Air War Center in Dhahran and several other regions of Saudi Arabia, led by the Saudi Armed Forces and with the participation of forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the United States.

The Joint Forces are responsible for managing and coordinating the operations of the Arab Coalition in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, including providing support to government forces in their fight against the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by the international community.

On the Yemeni side, the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Saghir bin Aziz, leads the Joint Operations.