Funeral held for Egypt's ex-intelligence chief

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Supporters and military figures gathered on Saturday (July 21) for the funeral of Omar Suleiman, Egypt's ex-intelligence chief.

Many held posters of Suleiman and chanted "God is great" and "In the name of God," as his casket was hoisted atop a horse-drawn cart after a ceremony at the Al Rashdan Mosque in Cairo's Heliopolis district.

Suleiman died on Thursday (July 19) due to complications from amyloidosis, a disease that affects multiple organs including the heart and kidneys, three days after he had checked in for treatment, said a statement by the Cleveland Clinic.

Suleiman, 76, was ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's last deputy and one of his most trusted advisers. In his 13 days as vice president, Suleiman held unprecedented talks on political reform with opposition forces, including the then-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

He symbolised the autocratic, military-backed rule which dominated much of the Arab world for nearly 50 years and began facing popular revolts in late 2010 and 2011. Rights groups said he was involved in the widespread torture of detainees.

Suleiman was born on July 2, 1936 in Qena, southern Egypt.