Saudi Arabia’s King Salman left the country on holiday on Thursday and appointed the crown prince to manage the kingdom’s affairs in his absence, state news agency SPA reported.
The statement did not say where King Salman, 80, was travelling or how long he would be absent for.
In April 2015 Salman appointed his 56-year-old nephew, Mohammed bin Nayef, as crown prince and made his young son, Mohammed bin Salman, second in line to rule, a major shift in power towards two princes who have overseen a more assertive stance at a time of regional turmoil.
