Bahrain’s Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has died at the age of 84.
The country’s state news agency said Wednesday morning he died at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, but did not disclose the nature of his treatment or cause of death.
Bahrain will observe a week of mourning with flags flying at half-mast.
Prince Khalifa held the position of prime minister since Bahrain’s 1971 independence.
He was a dominant figure in Bahrain’s politics for much of his time in power, and drew sharp criticism during pro-democracy protests in 2011 for crackdowns on the demonstrations and allegations of corruption.
Prince Khalifa has traveled for medical treatment several times in recent years, including a trip to Germany a year ago.