Middle East

UAE mourns President’s mother, announces 3-day official mourning period

Sheikha Hessa bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the mother of the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, has died.

UAE would observe three days of mourning beginning Sunday.

Sheikha Hessa was the first wife of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the UAE when the federation of seven sheikhdoms became a country in 1971.

She gave birth in 1948 to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who became president after Sheikh Zayed’s death in 2004. Sheikh Khalifa is also the ruler of oil-rich Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE.