Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait, died at the age of 86 following his hospitalisation for an unexplained medical issue last month.
State TV first reported the story on Saturday, using a royal court statement. Without stating the cause of death, it said, “With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn the death of Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait.”
Multiple media reports claim that Kuwait TV was the first to broadcast news segments from the Quran on all networks.
For unclear circumstances, the emir was admitted to the hospital around the end of November. His status was stable at the time, according to KUNA news agency, which cited a local official. He was also supposed to “receive the necessary treatment and conduct medical examinations.” He is thought to have visited the US in the past in 2021 for unidentified medical examinations.
After his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, passed away in September 2020, Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah took over as ruler of the oil-rich state for a mere three years. As per Al Jazeera, the crown prince, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber, who held the position of deputy chief of the National Guard from 2004 to 2020, is the next in line to reign.
Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah was Iraq’s defence minister during the 1990s invasion of Kuwait before taking over as prime minister. He also held positions as minister of the interior and deputy chief of the National Guard at different points in time.
Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber passed away, and Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his “deepest condolences,” stating that the late leader “rightly enjoyed great authority in the Middle East” and significantly bolstered Kuwait’s standing internationally. He continued, “We value his individual contribution to the development of cordial Russian-Kuwaiti relations.”
