Dubai: A prominent bodyguard of King Salman has been shot and killed by a friend on Saturday night, the official Saudi news agency reported.
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The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday that Maj. Gen. Abdulaziz Al Fagham has been shot and killed in a dispute with his friend Mamdouh Bin Meshaal Al Ali, in Jeddah.
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A one-sentence statement published by state TV on Twitter identified Al Fagham as “the bodyguard of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.”
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Saudis on Twitter shared his pictures and offered condolences to Al Fagham’s family, till the Twitter handle that bears his name #عبدالعزيز_الفغم became the top trend worldwide with nearly 1 million tweets.
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Al Fagham, local media reported, was popular among Saudis as he was always present with the late King Abdullah and King Salman, his successor.
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In mid-2017, King Salman issued a royal order to promote Abdulaziz Al Fagham, which was considered an exceptional promotion to the rank of brigadier general.
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According to SPA, Al Fagham was at a friend’s house, when a common friend, Mamdouh Bin Meshaal Al Ali, joined them.
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A heated argument erupted between Al Fagham and Mamdouh, which led to the latter shooting the brigadier general and two others who were present at the house.
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The shooter tried to escape, randomly shooting at police surrounding the scene, injuring five policemen.
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Mamdouh was shot dead, according to SPA.
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Social media reactions
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One picture circulating on social media says “you guarded our beloved, so we loved you.”
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Saudi Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates tweeted this morning saying “Abdulaziz Al Fagham lived as a hero, and patriot, loving his country and his kings, a righteous son for his leadership … the whole of Saudi Arabia is grieved by his departure”.
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Another user tweetd “People weep for you.”
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