Former Egyptian defense minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi dies at 85

A handout picture released by the Jordanian news agency Petra shows Jordan's king (unseen) meeting with the head of the Supreme Council of Egypt's Armed Forces, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi in Cairo. (File/AFP)

• Tantawi has participated in most of Egypt’s wars, including the wars of 1956 and 1967, the War of Attrition, and the 1973 October war

DUBAI: Former Egyptian Minister of Defense Mohamed Hussein Tantawi has died on Tuesday aged 85 after suffering from health problems for the past three months, local daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported.

Tantawi has participated in most of Egypt’s wars, including the wars of 1956 and 1967, the War of Attrition, and the 1973 October war.

He further assumed the presidency of Egypt in his capacity as head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces after the resignation of former President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak on Feb. 11 of 2011.