Former Qatari Emir Dies Aged 84

Doha, 23 Muharram 1438/24 October 2016 (MINA) – Qatar’s former emir, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani died on Sunday, aged 84.

He ruled Qatar from 1972 until 1995 when he was deposed in a bloodless palace coup by his son Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the father of Qatar’s current emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reported.

Sheikh Hamad handed power in 2013 to Sheikh Tamim in a rare abdication by a hereditary Gulf Arab ruler to try to ensure a smooth succession.

The US-allied state is small, with 2.5 million people, but is the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, a global investment powerhouse and heavy hitter in Middle East diplomacy and international media.