Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — The King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz is admitted in hospital for medical check-ups.
According to State media, the 84-year-old ruler is suffering from inflammation of the gall bladder and has been admitted to the hospital.
The king has ruled since 2015 and is currently undergoing medical check-ups in the capital, news agency SPA stated on Monday with no further details.
The visit scheduled to Riyadh for Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has been postponed due to the hospitalisation of King Salman, the Saudi foreign minister said.
“In recognition of the importance of the visit and a desire to make it succeed, our wise leadership in coordination with our brothers in Iraq has decided to postpone the visit,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud wrote on Twitter.
King Salman is the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites. He has spent more than two and a half years as the Saudi crown prince and deputy prime minister from June 2012 before becoming the king of Saudi Arabia. He also served as the governor of the Riyadh region for more than 50 years.
Next in line for the throne is his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). He has won praise at home for easing social restrictions in the conservative Muslim kingdom, giving more rights to women and pledging to diversify the economy.
