Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said died on Friday evening, state media has announced. Omani television news said the council’s high military council had called the ruling family to convene and choose a new ruler.
Western-backed Qaboos, 79, had ruled the Gulf Arab state since he took over in a bloodless coup in 1970 with the help of Oman’s former colonial power Britain.
Qaboos had no children and had not publicly appointed a successor. A 1996 statute says the ruling family must choose a successor within three days of the throne becoming vacant.
If they fail to agree, a council of military and security officials, supreme court chiefs and heads of the two assemblies will put in power a person whose name has been secretly written by the sultan in a sealed letter. » | Staff and agencies | Saturday, January 11, 2020
Sultan Qaboos of Oman, Arab world's longest-serving ruler, dies aged 79 »
