Mubarak, the 'Pharaoh' toppled by the Arab Spring, dies at 91

Mubarak, the 'Pharaoh' toppled by the Arab Spring, dies at 91

The Egyptian Presidency has announced three days of mourning starting Wednesday following death of the country's former President Hosni Mubarak, who has died at the age of 91.

Adam Reed reports.

Former President Hosni Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for 30 years, died on Tuesday (February 25) at the age of 91 after undergoing treatment in intensive care following surgery.

The former air force officer will be buried in a military funeral but the timing was still unclear, a military source told Reuters.

Earlier this year Mubarak underwent surgery and his son shared the news of his passing in a Twitter post that included images of his late father.

Mubarak was ousted and arrested following mass protests in a 2011 revolution, and spent subsequent years in prison and military hospitals.

He had a life sentence overturned in 2017, when he was cleared of conspiracy to murder demonstrators during the Arab Spring - when revolts spread from Tunisia to Egypt and elsewhere in the region.

The Mubarak family remained in Egypt since 2011 but kept a low profile.

During his time in office Mubarak also played mediator between Israel and the Palestinians during troubled times.

However, Egyptians are split on his legacy, with many viewing his rule as a period of autocracy and crony capitalism.

In his own words though Mubarak referred to himself as a patriot who served his country selflessly and that it would be left to history to judge him.