Jakarta (Indonesia Window) - The Tunisian president who was ousted in 2011 following a protest movement against his government, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, died in exile in Saudi Arabia on Thursday (Sep 19) at the age of 83.

Earlier, Ben Ali was hospitalized for three months after battling prostate cancer for years.

Tunisia's foreign minister confirmed his death.

Ben Ali, who began to rule in 1989, fled Tunisia in January 2011 when his people rose against his rule in a revolution that inspired the Arab Spring in several other countries.

Reporting by Indonesia Window