CENTCOM commander visited Mideast for talks on Jan. 29 - Feb. 1

WASHINGTON

US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain from Jan. 29 - Feb. 1 to discuss regional issues, CENTCOM said Friday.

In Jordan, Kurilla met Maj. Gen. Youssef Alhnaity, Jordan’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other leaders on border security and the current security situation in the region, CENTCOM said in a statement.

In Saudi Arabia, he spoke with Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwail, the royal Saudi chief of General Staff, and senior military leaders about mutual concerns with recent Houthi activities in the Red Sea.

They also discussed continued opportunities to strengthen cooperation across an expanded network of security partners, it added.

In Bahrain, Kurilla met Chief Field Marshall Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Defense Forces commander in chief, to discuss the implementation of a comprehensive security integration and prosperity agreement.

Kurilla thanked the Bahrainis for their support in the multinational efforts to restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

"While in Bahrain, Gen. Kurilla presided over the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) change of command ceremony between Vice Adm. Brad Cooper and Vice Admiral George Wtikoff," CENTCOM added.