RIYADH, June 16 (AFP) Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, a half brother of King Abdullah and the kingdom's long-serving interior minister, died on Saturday, state television announced.
The 79-year-old Prince Nayef, who recently left Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, had "died outside the kingdom," said Al-Ekhbariyah Television, quoting a statement from the royal court.
His funeral would be held on Sunday after sunset prayers in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, after his body is repatriated.
Powerful Nayef, who led an iron-fisted crackdown on Al-Qaeda following a wave of attacks in Saudi Arabia between 2003 and 2006, became heir to the throne in October last year following the death of crown prince Sultan, his full brother.
Nayef was the middle prince of the Sudairi Seven, the formidable bloc of sons of King Abdul Aziz by a favorite wife, Princess Hassa al Sudairi.
No one is officially in line to replace Nayef, but his brother Prince Salman, who took over the porfolio of defence minister after Sultan's death, appears a strong candidate.
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| Prince Nayef speaks during a news conference. The desert kingdom's Crown Prince died yesterday (AFP) |
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