Saudi Crown Prince Nayef dead

Crown Prince Nayef, the long-serving interior minister who led Saudi Arabia's crackdown against al-Qaeda's branch in the country and then rose to become next in line to the throne, has died. He was in his late 70s.

Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who became heir to the throne last year at the age of 78, was head of the country's interior ministry since 1975.

Nayef had traveled abroad for medical treatment and had "died outside the kingdom", Al-Ekhbariyah Television said, quoting a statement from the royal court.
 
Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley reports.