Emir of Kuwait, Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, died on Saturday at the age of 86, the state media has announced.

The cause of the Emir’s death has not been revealed to the general public.

Kuwait’s state TV interrupted regular programming on Saturday to cut to Koranic verses, in a possible signal of death in the royal family.

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah had been admitted to hospital in late November due to a medical emergency.