Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who served as Bahrain’s prime minister since 1971, is dead at the age 84, the royal court announced on Wednesday.

King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman mourned the late premier, who died at the Mayo Clinic hospital in the U.S state of Minnesota, the court said, according to the official BNA news agency.

The funeral will proceed once his body arrives home. Only a limited number of relatives will be allowed to attend.

The king ordered a week of national mourning and flags to be flown at half-mast.

Work at government departments will be suspended for three days starting from Thursday.

NAN