Qatar will mourn the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz for three days according to a statement from the Emir.

King Abdullah, who had ruled since 2005, had been suffering from a lung infection.

Saudi News Agency confirmed that his 79-year-old half-brother, Salman, has been confirmed as the new king.

Within hours of his accession to the throne of the oil-rich kingdom, King Salman vowed to maintain the same policies as his predecessors.

"We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment," he said in a speech broadcast on state television.

The 90-year-old monarch had suffered frequent bouts of ill health in recent years, and King Salman had recently taken on the ailing monarch's responsibilities.

Prior to announcing Abdullah's death, Saudi television cut to Koranic verses, which often signifies the passing of a senior royal.