Saudi King Angry at Bandar’s Incompetency in Controlling Situation in Syria

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is angry at his Spy Chief Bandar Bin Sultan for his failure in controlling the situation in Syria, specially in preventing the death of the Saudi terrorists in the crisis-hit country, sources revealed on Wednesday.
“The Saudi King’s anger at Bandar increased after Interior Minister Mohammad bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud reported that over 3,000 Saudi nationals have been killed in the three-year-long crisis in Syria,” an informed source close to the Saudi monarch who called for anonymity for fear of his life told FNA.

“After hearing the report, the Saudi King summoned Bandar and addressed him with ferocious remarks. “I was not optimistic about your handling of the regional issues since the beginning and the death of such a high number of Saudi nationals (terrorists in Syria) is regretable,” the king told Bandar, according to the source.

Earlier reports said that Saudi Arabia has sent between 20,000 to 30,000 fighters to Syria since 2011 headed by Bandar bin Sultan.

But recently it was revealed that Bandar has gone under ‘sensitive’ medical operations and is now recovering and not able to lead the Saudi fighters in Syria directly.

Saudi sources said that Bandar’s obligatory absence from the political scene has surrendered the Syrian case to Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faissal.

In relevant remarks on Monday, US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford ordered the foreign-backed opposition figures to take part in the Geneva II conference, noting that there are many changes in the Saudi policy regarding the Syrian crisis.

An official in the executive committee of the so-called ‘Syrian National Coalition’, Nidal Hamade, said that Ford had called for an urgent meeting with SNC figures in Turkey’s Istanbul, noting that the US envoy had threatened to cut funds for anyone who will not attend the meeting.

“In addition to Ford, all SNC figures opposing participation in the Geneva 2 conference were at the meeting, namely Loay Safi, Anass al-Abdeh, Haitham al-Maleh, Burhan Ghalioun, Najeeb al-Ghadban and Maher Noaimi,” Hamade said.

During the meeting, Ford told the SNC figures that Saudi prince Bandar Bin Sultan is on long vacation in the United States, “because of sickness and psychological fatigue”, Hamade added, citing a Syrian opposition official close to former Prime Minister Riyad Hijab.

“We would like to inform you that there are some changes that will take place in Saudi Arabia next March,” Ford said, noting that these changes will reach Bandar Bin Sultan and Saud al-Faissal.

The US ambassador added that the Saudi committee for Lebanon and Syria (which compromises Abdulaziz Khoja, Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al Saud and Muqren Bin Abdullah Al Saud) is to be activated and will take over the Lebanese and Syrian file from Bandar.

Ford told the Syrian opposition figures that “Bandar’s plan for the Syrian conflict, put in 2012, had catastrophic repercussions on Syria and the region. It had made of Syria a powerful hub for al-Qaeda that the US cannot confront. For that, you have to stop objecting and to go to Geneva 2, this is the US’ interest.”