KHARTOUM: Former Sudanese Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi has died from a coronavirus infection at the age of 84.

In a brief statement, al-Mahdi’s family said he died on Thursday, three weeks after being admitted to hospital in the United Arab Emirates.

Al-Mahdi was Sudan’s last democratically elected prime minister and was overthrown in 1989 in the military coup that brought former President Omar al-Bashir to power.

The moderate Umma Party was one of the largest opposition parties under al-Bashir, and al-Mahdi remained an influential figure even after he was toppled.

Last month, al-Mahdi’s family said he had tested positive for COVID-19, and after a few days in hospital in Sudan, he was transferred to the United Arab Emirates for treatment.

In a statement, the Umma Party said al-Mahdi would be buried on Friday morning in the city of Omdurman in Sudan.

“We offer our condolences to the Sudanese people over his death,” the party said.

After the military forced al-Bashir from power, al-Mahdi pushed for a transfer to civilian rule, warning of the risks of a counter-coup and calling for the powerful, paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to be integrated.

(With inputs from Agencies)