CAIRO, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) — Former Egyptian Minister of Defense Mohamed Hussein Tantawi died on Tuesday at the age of 85 after suffering health problems for the past three months, Egypt’s presidential office said in a statement.

“Egypt lost one of its most loyal sons and a military symbol who had served his country for more than 50 years,” said the statement.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi mourned the death of Tantawi on behalf of the Egyptian people and government, according to the statement.

Tantawi served as the former head of the military council that ruled Egypt temporarily after President Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign on Feb. 11, 2011.