President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has conveyed his condolences following the assassination of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe.
In a tweet, President Solih said he was saddened to hear that the former prime minister has passed away after being shot at a campaign rally. He said Abe was a statesman of the highest caliber and that the people of Maldives send their sincere condolences to his family, the people and government of Japan as they cope with this tremendous loss.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot while campaigning in the western city of Nara for a parliamentary election, with public broadcaster NHK saying a man with what appeared to be a homemade gun opened fire. The former prime minister was shot in the neck and in the chest, and succumbed to his injuries at 08:03 GMT.
Abe served two terms as prime minister to become Japan's longest-serving premier before stepping down in 2020 citing ill health.