Saudi Arabia's King Salman issued a decree Thursday setting up a new security agency for the oil-rich kingdom which will be overseen by him directly, the SPA news agency said.

The new agency, which will be headed by intelligence chief General Abdel Aziz bin Mohammed al-Houeiriny, would manage several departments of the interior ministry, the state-run SPA said.

The department of intelligence and the units tasked with fighting terrorism would work under the authority of the new agency.

King Salman also issued a series of royal decrees on Thursday, including one sacking the head of the royal guard, General Hamad al-Awhaly, and replacing him with General Suheil al-Mutiri.

He also appointed Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Qweiz as the new head of the Saudi stock exchange.

The latest decisions come nearly a month after King Salman ousted his nephew as crown prince and installed his son Mohammed bin Salman, 31, as his successor.

source: AFP