King attends army ceremony to mark national days

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) on Thursday attended the ceremony organised by the armed forces to mark the 18th Accession to the Throne Day, the Great Arab Revolt anniversary, and Army Day, a Royal Court statement said. 

Upon the King’s arrival to the Martyr Memorial, the artillery performed a 21-gun salute and the national anthem was played. His Majesty was received by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat and senior officers. 

The King and the ceremony’s attendees recited Fatiha (the opening chapter of Koran) to honour the souls of the fallen soldiers, and His Majesty laid wreathes on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier located in the memorial. 

The Monarch toured the memorial, where the stories of fallen soldiers are showcased, and wrote a statement in the honoured guests’ record. 

During the ceremony, attended by several Royal family members and senior civil and military officials, the King watched a short film on the mission and duties of army personnel and the ‘‘heroic roles’’ of those who fell or were injured in the line of duty to protect the Kingdom.

The King then bestowed Royal medals on the fallen soldiers, which were received by their families, as well as medals for personnel injured in the line of duty from the army, the Public Security Department, the General Intelligence Department and the Gendarmerie Department. 

On the occasion of Accession to the Throne, His Majesty on Thursday received cables from several heads of Arab and friend states, as well as messages of felicitation from senior officials and military officers, a Royal Court statement said.

He also received cables from senior military officers and senior officials, marking His Majesty’s 18th anniversary of Accession to the Throne, Army Day and the 101st  anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt, when the emir of Mecca and the King’s great-great-grandfather, Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, led an uprising against the Turkish rule in the region.

HRH Crown Prince Hussein also received similar cables from senior officials.