News: UAE President announces three days of mourning for Saudi king

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday announced three days of mourning after the passing of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia.

He said the mourning would start on Friday and ordered the UAE national flag to be flown at half-mast at all government departments in the UAE and at all embassies and diplomatic missions of the UAE overseas.

President Khalifa said in comments published by news agency WAM: "We mourn the death of one of the most notable leaders of the Arab Nation and Muslim Nation who generously gave a lot to his people and his nation and sincerely defended the causes of the Arab Nation and the Muslim Nation.

"As we express our sincere condolences to the Saudi royal family and the people of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the death of the great late king, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, we express our full confidence that King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud will continue his blessed march serving the causes of the nation and advance the Arab joint action."

He praised the late king for being dedicated himself to the service of his people and nation and worked on bolstering cohesion of the Arab Nation.

He emphasised that with the death of the late king, for the Arab Nation and the Muslim Nation, was a "loss of a great figure who never hesitated to serve the causes of his nation until the end of his life".