Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Dies At 90

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah ibn Abdilazīz, the powerful U.S. ally who joined Washington’s fight against al-Qaida and sought to modernise the ultraconservative Muslim kingdom with incremental but significant reforms, including nudging open greater opportunities for women, has died, he was 90.

Throngs of mourners gathered in Mecca early Friday just hours after Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud died. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was the fifth of his brothers to take the throne and became king in 2005, reports Caroline Hawley.

His death was  announced on Saudi state TV by a presenter who said the king died at 1 a.m. on Friday. 

Abdullah came to the throne in 2005 but had suffered frequent bouts of ill health in recent years.

Services will be held Friday afternoon at the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh, and many world leaders are likely to pay their respects.