Kuwait, UAE, Qatar declare four-day mourning as former Qatari emir dies at 74
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar who ruled from 1995 to 2013, has died at age 74. Several Gulf nations have declared a four-day mourning period in his honor.
Why it matters
The death of a former leader of a major energy-producing nation is a significant event in Middle Eastern geopolitics.
The seat of rule of the State of Qatar, Amiri Diwan, announced the demise of the former emir in a statement on Sunday.
The Father Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, is dead.
The emir who, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, died at 74 on Sunday.
“With hearts steadfast in faith in God’s decree and destiny, the Amiri Diwan mourns the great loss to the nation of the late – may God have mercy on him – His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who passed away this morning,” the statement said.
A funeral prayers was held at Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in Doha on Sunday evening before the burial of the monarch.
Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait governments announced a four-day mourning period from Sunday to Wednesday.
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