Ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali died Thursday at the age of 83 in a hospital in Saudi Arabia, the official news agency Tunis Afrique Presse reported.

"We had confirmation of his death 30 minutes ago," Tunisia's foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday afternoon, without giving further details.

His lawyer, Mounir Ben Salha, also confirmed the news, citing family members and Ben Ali's doctor.

Ben Ali suffered poor health over the past few weeks which saw him admitted to the hospital in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

Rumors of his death had circulated several times in recent years.

A week ago, Ben Salha said the former president was in a "critical condition," before denying reports that he had died.

"He is not dead, but his state of health is bad. He has left hospital and is currently being cared for at his home – his condition is stabilizing," the lawyer said at the time.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said last week that on humanitarian grounds Ben Ali could return to die in his own country.

It was not possible to ascertain immediately whether the former president's funeral would take place in Saudi Arabia or in Tunisia.

The former president had ruled Tunisia for 23 years, before fleeing to Saudi Arabia in early 2011 after mass protests erupted against his rule.

He was later convicted of embezzlement and misuse of public funds and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Born in Sousse in 1936, Ben Ali became prime minister in 1987, shortly after ousting Tunisia's first post-independence ruler, Habib Bourguiba, in a bloodless coup.

(With input from Xinhua, AFP)

(Cover: Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali takes the oath at the national assembly in Tunis, November 12, 2009. /Reuters Photo)