Kuwait's Emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, passed away at the age of 86, as reported by the country's state TV. The announcement was made with verses from the Qur'an on Saturday.
In late November, the Emir was hospitalised for an undisclosed illness, leaving the oil-rich nation anxious for updates on his health.
Earlier, it was disclosed that Sheikh Nawaf had travelled to the US for unspecified medical checks in March 2021. The health of Kuwait's leaders is a sensitive topic in this small Middle Eastern nation.
Following the 2020 death of his predecessor, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Sheikh Nawaf assumed the role of Emir. The nation mourned the loss of Sheikh Sabah, known for his diplomacy and peacemaking, across the region.
Sheikh Nawaf, previously serving as Kuwait's interior and defence minister, was considered an uncontroversial choice for emir, despite analysts predicting a short tenure due to his advancing age.
The world's oldest crown prince, 83-year-old Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber, is poised to succeed as Kuwait's ruler.
Kuwait, with a population of 4.2 million, possesses the world's sixth-largest oil reserves and has been a staunch US ally since the 1991 Gulf War. The country hosts 13,500 American troops and the forward headquarters of the US Army in the Middle East.