US Central Command commander visits Saudi Arabia for talks

WASHINGTON

US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla visited Saudi Arabia on May 9-10 for talks, CENTCOM said on Saturday.

Kurilla met with Chief of General Staff, Gen. Fayyadh al-Ruwaili and other Saudi senior military leaders to discuss shared regional security concerns, the status of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip, and further opportunities to partner on innovation of defensive technologies, it said in a statement.

He also met with the US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney and US Ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin to exchange views on the current security challenges in the region, particularly on Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

"The Royal Saudi Armed Forces are a critical security partner in the region as we address regional security challenges through interoperable organizations and capabilities," Kurilla was quoted as saying in the statement.

"Building on our over seven decades of direct military partnership, we continue to work together to achieve our shared goals," he added.