Former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi dies at 80

Former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi died Thursday in the Saudi capital Riyadh at the age of 80, according to Yemeni state television.

Yemen TV reported Hadi's death without providing further details.

Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya also confirmed his death early Thursday but did not specify the cause.

The privately owned Yemeni news website Al-Masdaronline, citing an unnamed government source, reported that Hadi died at a hospital in Riyadh after his health deteriorated in recent days.

According to the source, Hadi suffered from heart-related health problems and regularly traveled to the US for medical examinations and treatment at a hospital in Cleveland.

The source added that his condition worsened suddenly over the past week before he died Thursday morning.

Hadi became Yemen’s president in 2012 following the departure of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was later killed by Houthi forces in 2017.

He remained in office until April 2022, when he transferred power to the Presidential Leadership Council headed by Rashad al-Alimi and composed of seven other members.

Hadi was considered one of Yemen’s most prominent modern political figures and had previously served for years as vice president under Saleh.

*Writing by Sahin Demir in Istanbul.