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Messages of support pour in for UAE President Sheikh Khalifa

World leaders and UAE residents have issued messages of support for UAE president Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, following news of his stroke.

UAE state agency WAM reported on Saturday that Sheikh Khalifa, 66, suffered a stroke on Friday morning but was in a stable condition following surgery.

On Sunday, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received calls from a number of leaders from neighbouring countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia, WAM reported.

"Sheikh Mohammed assured the leaders of the brotherly countries of the stable health condition of President Khalifa," the statement said, adding that he thanked them for "their sincere wishes for speedy recovery".

SOCIAL SUPPORT

The news was met with similar sentiment across social networks.

"I'll pray for your fast recovery HH Sheik Khalifa. May God touch you with His Healing hands!" commented Yahoo user June.

Another Yahoo commenter, Ramananda Gaura Dasa, said: "It is a [sic] shocking news, however happy to note that He is stable. We sincerely pray for his well being as He is truly taking care of UAE and the millions of nationals and expatriates living here harmoniously, which no part of the world has ever seen. Long live the ruler!"

On Facebook, user Mohammad Fareed Awad commented: "We all pray for you. May Allah keep you safe and sound, Amen."

On Twitter, several hashtags of support began trending in the UAE, with citizens and residents posting messages of support.

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed tweeted: "God preserve President Khalifa from all evil and grant him health and well-being".

While Emirati Noura Al Kaabi, head of media company twofour54, said: "We may differ on many things, but we share one love to our Sheikh Khalifa. #UAE".

Hashtag اللهم_اشفِ_الشيخ_خليفة_شفاءً_لا_يُغادر_سَقَما#, which denotes a prayer of health, was the top trending topic and had over 3,000 tweets since the news broke.

 

SHEIKH KHALIFA

Born in 1948, Sheikh Khalifa became the leader of the United Arab Emirates in 2004, following the death of his father Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who is regarded the founding father of the UAE.

Sheikh Khalifa was named Abu Dhabi's crown prince on February 1, 1969 when he was just 21.

He was re-elected head of the UAE for a second five-year term in 2009 by the Supreme Federal Council.
Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed, his brother, succeeded him as crown prince.