Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has died "outside the kingdom", state media say.Prince Nayef, who was also deputy prime minister and interior minister, had left the country for a holiday and medical tests late last month.On 3 June, the deputy interior minister said the prince, who was 77 or 78, was in good health and would return "soon".He was named crown prince in October 2011 after the death of the previous crown prince, Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.The succession in Saudi Arabia still passes among the sons of former King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, who established the modern kingdom during his reign from 1932 to 1953.Next in line is expected to be Crown Prince Nayef's 76-year-old brother, Prince Salman, who was appointed defence minister in November after spending five decades as governor of Riyadh.King Abdullah, who is 89 years old, had a back operation last year.A statement from the king published by the official SPA news agency, said Prince Nayef had died on Saturday "outside the kingdom" and would be buried Sunday after prayers in Mecca. It gave no more details.Unconfirmed reports said Prince Nayef had been receiving medical treatment since May at a hospital in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Nayef, who had been named crown prince in October by his brother the king, was heir to the Saudi throne.State TV is broadcasting Quran readings as an expression of mourning for the prince, who died in Geneva, Switzerland."The news of Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz death was shocking to everyone in the Kingdom and to the royal family," Saudi Foreign Ministry spokesman Osama Nogali told CNN. "We still don't know the reason behind his death."Nayef's body will arrive in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Sunday and will be buried after afternoon prayer, Nogali said.The crown prince served as Saudi interior minister since 1975, having overseen the kingdom's counterterrorism efforts.He also served as deputy premier.A classified U.S. Embassy cable leaked by the website WikiLeaks described Nayef as a hard-line conservative who was lukewarm to King Abdullah's reform initiatives.
Unconfirmed reports said Prince Nayef had been receiving medical treatment since May at a hospital in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Nayef, who had been named crown prince in October by his brother the king, was heir to the Saudi throne.State TV is broadcasting Quran readings as an expression of mourning for the prince, who died in Geneva, Switzerland.
"The news of Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz death was shocking to everyone in the Kingdom and to the royal family," Saudi Foreign Ministry spokesman Osama Nogali told CNN. "We still don't know the reason behind his death."
Nayef's body will arrive in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Sunday and will be buried after afternoon prayer, Nogali said.
The crown prince served as Saudi interior minister since 1975, having overseen the kingdom's counterterrorism efforts.
He also served as deputy premier.
A classified U.S. Embassy cable leaked by the website WikiLeaks described Nayef as a hard-line conservative who was lukewarm to King Abdullah's reform initiatives.
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