Who is Prince Mohammed bin Salman and why is he at the centre of Saudi purge?

Described as being "Mr Everything", a "hothead", and "young and brash", Saudi Arabia's 32-year-old crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is back in the news as the supposed driving force behind a wide-sweeping purge in the desert kingdom that started on Sunday.

Tthe Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news channel said late Saturday that 11 Saudi princes and dozens of the kingdom's former ministers had been detained in a new anti-corruption probe headed by the crown prince, who was also named to oversee the newly created anti-corruption committee.

Further, Saudi Arabia's King Salman ousted one of the country's highest-level royals from power, removing Prince Miteb bin Abdullah as head of the National Guard. He was replaced by Prince Khalid bin Ayyaf al-Muqrin, who had held a senior post with the guard. The monarch also replaced Minister of Economy and Planning Adel Fakeih with his deputy, Mohammad al-Tuwaijri

A Reuters report described the developments as Saudi Arabia's future king tightening his grip on power through an anti-corruption purge by arresting royals, ministers, and investors, including billionaire Alwaleed bin Talal who is one of the kingdom's most prominent businessmen.
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