Pakistan’s former president, Pervez Musharraf, died on Sunday at the age of 79.

The Pakistani army confirmed in a statement that the former military ruler died in a hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, after a prolonged illness.

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Musharraf seized power in a military coup in 1999 and was the country’s president during the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

He resigned as president on August 18, 2008, and left for exile in the United Kingdom three months later.

“May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family,” the army said in the statement.