King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud
Throngs
of mourners gathered in Mecca early Friday just hours after Saudi
Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud died. He was 90.
Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz was appointed as the new king, state television reported.
The
announcement of Abdullah’s death comes several weeks after the
state-run Saudi Press Agency said he was suffering from pneumonia and
had been admitted to the hospital.
Services
will be held Friday afternoon at the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand
Mosque in Riyadh, and many world leaders are likely to pay their
respects.
Jordan’s King Abdullah cut short his visit to Davos, and is heading to Riyadh, according to a Jordanian government source.
“King
Abdullah’s life spanned from before the birth of modern Saudi Arabia
through its emergence as a critical force within the global economy and a
leader among Arab and Islamic nations,” U.S. President Barack Obama
said in a statement.
“As
our countries worked together to confront many challenges, I always
valued King Abdullah’s perspective and appreciated our genuine and warm
friendship. As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his
convictions.”
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