He wields enormous power and leads a war against rebels in neighbouring Yemen for his father King Salman, but Saudi Arabia's defence minister is still in his early 30s. Just weeks after he was appointed to the key post in January, Prince Mohammed bin Salman assumed huge responsibility when the kingdom sent its armed forces into conflict.
The young prince has overseen nearly a month of air strikes by a Saudi-led regional coalition against the Yemeni rebels. Eight Saudi troops have also died in skirmishes along the border. Prince Mohammed, part of a new generation of Saudi rulers, also heads the royal court, is special adviser to his 79-year-old father and sits on two key political and economic councils.
"He is the strong man in Saudi Arabia," a Western diplomatic source said. "Look what this man is controlling," including access to the king. "He oversees everything important which is going on in this country." The exact age of Mohammed, who sports a full dark beard, is uncertain. A biography from the Saudi embassy in Washington does not give his birthdate. Analysts and local media have reported various ages but none higher than 35.
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