Saudi Arabia's King Salman has sacked a senior aide, days after he was filmed appearing to slap a photojournalist, media reports said today.
No reason was given for the removal of Mohammed al- Tobayshi as head of royal protocol in a decree published by the official SPA news agency.
It also said that Khalid bin Saleh Alabbad has been appointed as chief of the Royal Protocols at the rank of minister.
TV footage seemingly showed Tobayshi hitting the photographer while King Salman greeted Morocco's King Mohammed at Riyadh airport on Sunday, the BBC reported.
Last month, King Salman banned a senior member of the royal family, Prince Mamdouh bin Abdul Rahman, from taking part in all sports activities and speaking to the media after he made remarks considered racist during a TV talk show.
The King also replaced Ahmed Al-Khatib as health minister earlier in April after he was filmed having a heated argument with a member of the public who had come to speak to him about the condition of a hospital in Riyadh.
Salman was crowned as the new king of Saudi Arabia on January 23 this year following the death of his half brother, King Abdullah.
