Angola's former long-term ruler, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, died in a hospital in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Friday, the Angolan government said.

The 79-year-old, who ruled the southwestern African country for almost four decades, died following a long illness.

Angola's current president, Joao Lourenco, announced five days of mourning which will see public events canceled and the flag flown at half-mast.

The government's statement announcing the death called dos Santos "a statesman of great historical scale who governed ... the Angolan nation through very difficult times."

One of his daughters, Tchize, asked the hospital where he died to hold on to his body to carry out an autopsy before it is returned to Angola. She cited fears of foul play. On Monday, the daughter filed a legal complaint against dos Santos' current wife and his personal physician for attempted murder, police and her lawyers said.

From soldier to president

Dos Santos rose to his position as president just four years after Angola won its independence from Portugal.

He was a member of the Soviet-backed MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola) that fought a brutal civil war with the US and South Africa-backed UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola).

He was praised for his work in ending the violence that left half a million people dead, as well as his peaceful withdrawal from power in 2017 after 38 years of strongman rule.

However, his detractors point to the country's vast oil wealth that went largely to enriching himself and his family.

His daughter Isabel's private fortune is estimated to be around $3.5 billion (€3.45 billion) thanks to her stints in several key industries, including her time as head of the state oil giant Sonangol.

Following dos Santos' departure from office, his hand-picked successor went after the former presidential family which even led to jail time for dos Santos' son.

ab/jcg (AP, AFP)