Former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid has died in hospital today, aged 69, after a long battle with illness.

An official from his Party of National Awakening announced the death of the former president - who was practically blind, diabetic and had suffered a series of strokes - at 18:45 local time in Cipto Hospital in Jakarta. The incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was present when Gus Dur, as the former president was known, passed away.

Mr Wahid was the fourth president of Indonesia between 1999 and 2001 and first elected president after the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998. Following corruption charges he was removed from office. After his impeachment he was succeeded by Magawati Soekarnoputri.

Photo ex-Indonesian president Wahid by Wikipedia