The King of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has died in a hospital wherein he is being treated for pneumonia. An official statement was released in which it has named Saudi Crown Prince Salman the new king.
"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 1 a.m. this morning," - Saudi Arabian state TV channel statement.
Meanwhile, Powerful leaders such as US President Barack Obama and Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi already shared their condolences to the family and nation that King Abdullah left due to his death. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also announced that he will be leaving the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to travel to Saudi Arabia and pay final respects to King Abdullah.
“(King Abdullah) his steadfast and passionate belief in the importance of the US-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and security in the Middle East and beyond.” - Barack Obama Looking back,
Abdullah was officially crowned as king in 2006, Abdullah had approximately a dozen wives and was a father to more than 30 children, Abdullah was also known as a staunch US ally, it is widely known that he supported the western fight against Al-Qaeda. King Abdullah is also known for implementing reforms in the areas of women’s rights and economic deregulation. It is believed that his successor, King Salman will continue to pursue similar policies that Abdullah implemented during his reign such as the Sharia Law.