Jordan’s King appoints new advisers

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has issued a decree appointing army commander Mashal Al-Zaben and intelligence chief Faisal Shoubaki as advisers to the monarch alongside their current positions.

According to a statement issued by the Jordanian Royal Court, a Royal decree was issued on Wednesday appointing General Mashal Mohammed Salim Al-Zaben as adviser to the King for military affairs as of 7 January, in addition to his existing post as chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff.

Another decree was also issued appointing General Faisal Jibril Hassan Al-Shoubaki as an adviser to the King on issues of national security, alongside to his post as director of the Intelligence Department, according to the statement, which was published by the official Jordanian News Agency.

In a separate development, Al-Zaben reportedly received the commander of US Central Command Special Operations Forces, Major General Michael Nagata on Wednesday.

In the presence of US Ambassador Alice Wales, Al-Zaben is said to have discussed with Nagata aspects of cooperation and coordination between the armed forces of the two allied countries, as well as mechanisms for strengthening and developing the mutual relations between the two sides.