Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has died after suffering a cardiac arrest, Sputnik reported citing the country's government on Tuesday.
"The government of the Republic of Burundi is sad to announce to the people of Burundi and the international community the unexpected death of Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi," the statement read.
The 55-year-old leader was hospitalised last week, felt better on Sunday but experienced a sudden turn for the worse on Monday, according to the statement.
Nkurunziza had been in power since 2005.
Despite the ratification of a new constitution, allowing the incumbent leader to be elected for another two terms of seven years, he refused to run for the presidency earlier this year.
( With inputs from ANI )