Editor of leading Saudi daily Al Riyadh dies

Cairo: Editor in chief of Al Riyadh newspaper, a leading Saudi Arabic-language daily, Fahd Bin Rashid Al Abdul Karim, has passed away after a bout of illness, the paper said early Saturday. He was 59.

“Al Riyadh, pained by the news, offers heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased as well as the Saudi and Arab media and cultural community,” the paper added on its website. Al Riyadh lauded him as a “towering national media man” and a “knight of the Saudi press”.

Fahd died Friday in the homeland after a medical trip to the US. His death came after suffering from cancer, according to his son Faisal.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman had ordered Fahd’s home return from the US aboard a medical evacuation plane.

An experienced journalist, Fahd rose in the echelons of journalism from a sub-editor until he became the chief editor of Al Riyadh in 2017.

He also worked for 22 years in the Arabic-language Al Yamamah magazine where in 2014 he was tasked with supervising its editorship.

Saudi Acting Information Minister Majid Al Qasabi expressed grief over Fahd’s departure. “With a heart brimful with grief and sadness, I pay tribute to Mr Fahd Bin Rashid Al Abdul Karim, the Editor-in-Chief of Al Riyadh newspaper,” the minister said on his Twitter. “He is one of those who devoted themselves to the profession of journalism and left a clear imprint during their media march.”

Several prominent journalists have also paid homage to Fahd.

“He was a friend and a mentor, who addressed issues without a fanfare,” said Fahd Al Ajalan, the deputy editor of the Saudi newspaper Al Jazirah. “He was a milestone in the history of Al Riyadh newspaper when he took over its editorship,” he added.