King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has died at the age of 90 and will be succeeded by Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz.
According to an official statement from the Royal Council, King Abdullah passed away at 1AM local time in Saudi Arabia on Friday.
The official statement added that the funeral procession will be held in Riyadh after evening prayers on Friday.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Salman has appeared on Saudi state television mourning King Abdullah.
Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, who was Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief between 2005 and 2012, will replace Salman as Crown Prince
Saudi Arabian television channels run by MBC have meanwhile started playing Quranic verses to mourn the death of King Abdullah, who came to power in 2005.
King Abdullah had suffered from pneumonia in December and was hospitalised for treatment, raising concerns over the King’s health.
Who is the next king?
Crown Prince Salman, 79, is the half-brother of the late King Abdullah and was the governor of the Riyadh province from 1963 until 2011 and has served as the country’s Minister of Defence since 2011.
Upon being appointed Crown Prince in 2012, Salman was touted for his focus on improving the Kingdom’s economy. The new ruler is also known for his shrewd diplomatic skills, but he is known to move cautiously and slowly when it comes to social and political reforms within the Kingdom. According to Al-Akhbar, Salman “has advanced opinions on reform and is welcoming of dialogue with opposition members. He enjoys a plethora of relationships with intellectuals from various political persuasions, both inside and outside the country.”
During his time as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, following his appointment as Crown Prince, Salman has remained steadfast in his support for maintaining Saudi Arabia’s moderate oil pricing and supply levels. The new ruler has also maintained close ties with Western states and other Sunni Muslim countries.
The new King is also a 10 percent owner of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group, which publishes daily newspapers across the Kingdom.
According to reports in The Atlantic and The Economist, Salman suffers from poor health, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. While these reports have never been confirmed by Saudi Arabia’s royal family, the new king suffered from a stroke in 2011, impacting his ability to properly use his left arm.