Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has been admitted to hospital.
The 84-year-old monarch was admitted to a hospital in the capital of Riyadh after suffering from gall bladder problems. Saudi Arabia’s state news agency, SPA, said on Monday that His Majesty was admitted for inflammation of the gall bladder.
The King is undergoing medical checks at the hospital but no further details were given by the news agency. However, he is said to be in stable condition at King Faisal Hospital.
King Salman was able to hold a cabinet meeting through a video call on Tuesday.
News of his hospitalisation led to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi postponing his visit to the Kingdom, and the King has since received calls from the leaders of Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait.
King Salman has been on the Saudi throne since 2015 after the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah.
His successor is his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who is commonly called MBS. He has brought about sweeping changes in the kingdom that have included allowing women to have more rights. However, improvements he has helped bring about in the country have been overshadowed by the death of Saudi dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. The Crown Prince has been accused by numerous governments and the UN of being involved in the assassination of the journalist.
