Guterres, widely known by his nom de guerre “Lu Olo,” died at Prince Court Medical Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he had been receiving intensive care treatment, according to a statement posted on his official Facebook account. The cause of death was not disclosed.

His death marks the passing of one of the most prominent leaders of Timor-Leste’s independence generation, whose political career spanned the resistance movement, constitution-building process and the presidency of Southeast Asia’s youngest nation.

Guterres served as president from 2017 to 2022 after decades of involvement in the campaign that culminated in Timor-Leste’s independence in 2002.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim paid tribute to Guterres, describing him as a leader who remained devoted to the ideals of freedom and democratic nation-building throughout his life.

The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin), the political party Guterres led for many years, said his death represented a profound loss for those committed to a sovereign and democratic Timor-Leste. The party credited him with promoting national unity, dialogue, peace and political stability during his years in public service.

Born on Sept. 7, 1954, in Ossu in the Viqueque district of what was then Portuguese Timor, Guterres emerged as a key figure in the resistance movement following Indonesia’s invasion in 1975. He later became one of the leading political figures guiding the territory through its transition toward independence after the United Nations-backed referendum of 1999.

In 2001, Guterres was elected president of the Constituent Assembly, overseeing the drafting of the country’s constitution ahead of formal independence. Following independence in 2002, he became the first speaker of the National Parliament.

After several unsuccessful presidential campaigns, Guterres secured victory in the 2017 election and served a single five-year term. In 2022, he was defeated in his bid for re-election by current President Jose Ramos-Horta, another veteran of the independence movement and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

His political career reflected the trajectory of Timor-Leste itself, from anti-colonial and resistance struggles to democratic governance and state institution-building.

Guterres is survived by his wife, Cidalia Lopes Nobre Mouzinho Guterres, and their children. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Algeria-Three members of the Polisario Front, including the son of the movement’s late longtime leader Mohamed Abdelaziz, were killed during an operation targeting Morocco’s defensive barrier in Western Sahara, the independence group said, underscoring continuing tensions in the disputed territory.

In a statement carried by the Sahrawi news agency SPS, the movement said Lehbib Mohamed Abdelaziz had “fallen on the field of honor.” The Polisario subsequently declared three days of mourning.

Lehbib Mohamed Abdelaziz was the son of Mohamed Abdelaziz, the historical leader of the Polisario Front and president of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), who led the movement from the territory’s independence declaration in 1976 until his death in 2016.

The Polisario said the 37-year-old officer was killed during military action directed against Morocco’s defense system in the disputed territory. The group provided no additional details regarding the circumstances of the operation.

Spanish media reported that a drone strike attributed to Morocco occurred east of the defensive barrier, although no official confirmation was immediately available.

The structure, commonly known as the Sand Wall, stretches approximately 2,700 kilometers across Western Sahara. Morocco constructed the fortified barrier between 1980 and 1987 to limit incursions by Polisario fighters and secure areas under its control.

Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony rich in mineral resources, remains one of North Africa’s longest-running territorial disputes. Morocco administers most of the territory, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks independence and claims sovereignty over the region.

A United Nations-backed ceasefire that largely held for nearly three decades collapsed in 2020, prompting the Polisario to resume armed operations against Moroccan forces.

The diplomatic landscape surrounding the dispute shifted further last October when the United Nations Security Council, with support from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, backed a Moroccan proposal that would grant Western Sahara autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.

The latest fatalities highlight the continuing security risks in the territory despite ongoing international efforts to find a political solution to the decades-old conflict.