Shortening Salah for officers going on patrols for 80 kilometers or more away from their place of residence

The second question of Fatwa no. 20866 All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon the Last Messenger.The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’ has read the question that was sent to His Eminence the Mufty (Islamic scholar qualified to issue legal opinions) by the Head of the Department of Religious Affairs at the Borders Guard in the Eastern Region the Lieutenant: ‘Adel ibn Muhammad (Part No. 6; Page No. 394) Al-Bidiwy. The concerned letter was transferred to the Committee by the secretariat-general for the Council of Senior Scholars under the number 469 and dated 18/01/1420 A. H. The questioner asked different questions. Following is his second question:Q 2: Some patrols move from headquarters or sectors under them and travel for long distances that sometimes extend to four hundred kilometers. Some of these patrols may then have a short stay of three to ten days at some specific places. It may be worth mentioning that going on such patrols is the main work of one department in Borders Guard where officers always travel from one place to another just as people working on trucks and lorries do as this is the nature of their work. We hope thus that your Eminence clarify the ruling on shortening and combining Salah (Prayer) if a person is on their way or if they stay in a specific place after arrival for carrying out a certain task. Besides, what is the ruling on breaking Sawm (Fast) due to being in a patrol that goes for long distances or stays in a specific place for finishing some work? It may be worth mentioning that the duration of accomplishing a task may range to ten days. Besides, is there a minimum travel distance for combining and shortening Salah? May Allah reward you with the best for supporting us and Muslims.