Things got testy in the KSA with the paparazzi this week, when an official was caught on video smacking a photographer during a royal event, and got sacked in return. King Salman fired the senior Saudi aide Tuesday after the footage surfaced this week, the AFP reported from Saudi state news agency.
An online video appears to show Saudi Head of Royal Protocol Mohammad al-Tobayshi smacking a photographer during King Salman's reception of Morocco's King Mohammed VI. It made rounds on Saudi social media this week, with the Kingdom's Twittersphere buzzing with criticism for the official and praise for Salman's decision. Saudi journalist Saud al-Murshid alluded not-so-subtly to the country's ongoing military campaign in neighboring Yemen on his Twitter account saying: "This is Decisive Salman," in reference to the Yemen campaign's name, Operation Decisive Storm.
A royal decree said al-Tobayshi has been replaced by Khalid al-Abbad.
