One of the most powerful leaders in the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah died on Friday morning. He was 90 and had been suffering from a lung infection.

His brother Salman has been anointed as the new King of Saudi Arabia and King Salman’d half-brother Muqrin would take over as his crown prince and heir.

In a statement, the royal court said, “His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1am this morning.”

In his condolences message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “In King Abdullah, we have lost an important voice who left a lasting impact on his country. I condole his demise.”

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About Neha Chandra

Neha Chandra reports on the international affairs as well as she writes on military issues and national security.