Saudi crown prince takes charge as king goes on holiday

Saudi Arabia's King Salman left for a holiday abroad on Monday and appointed his son, Mohammed bin Salman, to run affairs of state in his absence, a royal decree said.

It is standard practice for Gulf leaders to hand over control to their deputy during travel abroad, but it is the first time Mohammed bin Salman, 32, has officially taken on the role since his sudden ascent to crown prince last month.

His promotion, replacing his 57-year-old cousin Mohammed bin Nayef, ended two years of speculation about behind-the-scenes rivalry near the pinnacle of royal power.

The agency did not say where the king was travelling or how long he would be absent. But an Arab diplomat said he was expected to spend his holiday in Morocco.

The king's decree posted on Saudi state news agency SPA said the crown prince would be in charge of "managing state affairs and taking care of the interests of the people during the period of our absence from the Kingdom".

The movements of the 81-year-old monarch and other senior royals in the US-allied, top oil exporter are closely watched because of their immense executive power.

Apart from his role as crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman also serves as defence minister and has led a two-year war against Houthi rebels in Yemen that has been criticised for targeting civilians and destroying infrastructure. 

The Gulf nation is currently embroiled in a stand-off with its neighbour Qatar over alleged Qatari financing of terrorists groups and links to Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran. 

Qatar denies the charges.