The emir who ruled Kuwait, 86-year-old Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, has died, state television reported on Saturday.
Kuwait TV began programming verses from the Quran shortly before the announcement.
End of November, Sheikh Nawaf was hospitalized due to an unknown illness and since then the small, oil-rich country has been waiting for news on his health.
Public television news previously reported that the sheikh traveled to the United States in March 2021 for unspecified medical examinations.
The health of Kuwait’s leaders remains a sensitive issue in the Middle Eastern country bordering Iraq and Saudi Arabia, where internal power struggles have raged on the palace’s doorstep.
Sheikh Nawaf took office as emir after the death, in 2020, of his predecessor, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.
The emotion over the loss of Sheikh Sabah, known for his diplomacy and peace work, was palpable across the region.
Sheikh Nawaf previously served as Kuwait’s interior and defense minister, but was not seen as particularly active in government outside of these roles. However, his choice as emir was largely uncontroversial, although his advanced age led analysts to suggest that his tenure would be short-lived.
Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber, currently 83 years old, is considered the oldest Crown Prince in the world. He is on the front line to take on the role of ruler of Kuwait.
Kuwait, a country of approximately 4.2 million people, has the sixth largest oil reserves in the world.
The country has been a staunch ally of the US since the 1991 Gulf War ousted Saddam Hussein’s occupying Iraqi forces. Kuwait hosts approximately 13,500 U.S. troops in the country, as well as the forward headquarters of the U.S. military in the Middle East.
Source: DN
