Sheikh Hamad, who ruled the country from 1995 to 2013 and revolutionised modern-day Qatar, died on Thursday aged 74.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died at age 74. The state-run Qatar News Agency reported his death without offering a cause.

Sheikh Hamad, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, was a key architect of the energy-rich Gulf country's development.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former emir of Qatar who transformed the Gulf nation into a global hub for diplomacy, media and investment, has died at 74, state media…

It was also during his tenure, in 1996, that Al Jazeera, a Qatar-funded global news organisation, was established.

Former Qatar Emir and Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died at the age of 74.

His reign saw the launch of Al Jazeera and Qatar's emergence as a regional power