Egypt's former defence minister dies

Cairo: Abdel Halim Abu Ghazala, Egypt's former defence minister, died late on Saturday. He was 78.

Abu Ghazala died at a Cairo military hospital from complications related to throat cancer, Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported.

A military funeral is set for late Sunday.

Abu Ghazala became minister of defence in 1981, and in 1989, was promoted to presidential assistant. In 1993, he resigned and focused on writing military books.