Saudi assistant defence minister dies

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Ayesh, who was serving as Saudi Arabia’s assistant minister of Defence, passed away on Saturday.

He was suffering from an illness, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) cited the ministry as saying.

No further details were revealed.

Appointed to the position in May 2014, Al-Ayesh previously served as the commander-in-chief of the Royal Saudi Air Forces from 2010 until 2013.

Prior to that, he held many positions at the Air Force including as a pilot officer, base commander, chairman of the commission and the deputy commander.

Holding a bachelors degree in Aerial Sciences and a master’s degree in Military Science, Al-Ayesh also won several accolades including the King Abdulaziz Medal, the National Order of Merit of the French Republic, the Bronze Star Medal from the US, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal.