Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has died, aged 90

Castro’s death was announced on state television by his brother, President Raul Castro.

Fidel Castro, former President of Cuba and leader of the communist revolution in the country, has died aged 90. His death was announced on state television by his brother, President Raul Castro, on Friday night. "The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours (03:29 GMT Saturday) this evening,” Raul Castro said. The President added that there would be several days of mourning in Cuba following Castro’s death and finished his address with the revolutionary slogan, “Towards victory, always!” Castro served as Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 until 1976 and then as President of the country until 2008, when he was succeeded by his brother, Raul. Shortly after Castro assumed power, Cuba played a pivotal role as an ally of the Soviet Union during the Cold War with the United States, fighting off the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war, in 1962. The longest serving non-royal leader of the 20^th century, Castro will go down as one of the most iconic political figures in history, as beloved by his followers as he was despised by his critics. His remains are due to be cremated on Saturday.