SANAA, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The speaker of Yemen's parliament, Abdullah bin Hussein al-Ahmar, has died in Saudi Arabia after a long illness, officials said on Saturday.

It was not clear who would succeed Ahmar as head of the Yemeni parliament, a position he had held since 1993, or as head of the main opposition Islah (Reform) Party.

Born in 1933, Ahmar was head of the powerful Hashed tribal confederation and has played a key role in the turbulent politics of the impoverished Arab state for almost half a century.

Ahmar took part in elections through his Islah party, which combines tribal and Islamic elements, following the unification of northern Yemen with the communist south of the country in 1990 after years conflict.

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