Egypt’s ex-president Hosni Mubarak dead at 91
AI - Egypt s former long-time president Hosni Mubarak died yesterday at the age of 91 at airo s Galaa military hospital, his brother-in-law General Mounir Thabet told AFP.
Thabet, a former high ran ing military official, said the gyptian presidential office would organise the funeral.
Mubarak was in power from until he was overthrown in amid the region’s Arab Spring protests.
State television reported yesterday that Mubarak died weeks after undergoing surgery. Throughout his rule, he was a stalwart US ally, a bullwar against armed groups, and guardian of gypt s peace with srael.
But to the tens of thousands of young gyptians who rallied for days of unprecedented street protests in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square and elsewhere in , Mubarak was a relic, a latter-day pharaoh.
Mubarak was born in a rural village in the Nile elta in . e left behind a complicated legacy as his rule was partly characterised by corruption, police brutality, political repression, and entrenched economic problems.
e oined the gyptian air force in , graduating as a pilot the following year. e rose through the ranks to become the commander in chief of the gyptian air force in .
Mubara became a national hero the following year with reports that the gyptian air force dealt a substantial blow to sraeli forces in Sinai during the om ippur ar.
is harsh stance on security enabled him to maintain the peace treaty with srael.
nder his rule, gypt remained a ey nited States ally in the region receiving . billion a year in military aid by .
Mubarak is survived by his wife, Suzanne, and his sons, amal and laa.