Fighter who struggled for freedom against racism, the South African Nelson Mandela, passed away on Thursday night at age 95.

Fighter who struggled for freedom against racism, the South African Nelson Mandela, passed away on Thursday night at age 95.

South Africa president Jacob Zuma announced Mandela’s death a somber statement read live on television.

"He is now resting ... he is now at peace," a visibly emotional Zuma said.
"Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father. Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss.”

"His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world,” he added.

"His humility, his compassion and his humanity earned him their love. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family. To them, we owe a debt of gratitude. Our thoughts are with his wife, his former wife, with his children, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren and the entire family,” the South African leader went on saying.

Nelson Mandela emerged from prison after 27 years to lead his country out of decades of apartheid.

"As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison," Mandela said after he was freed in in 1990.

He guided South Africa from the shackles of apartheid to multi-racial democracy, as an icon of peace and reconciliation who came to embody the struggle for justice around the world.

Mandela, a former president, battled health issues in recent years, including a recurring lung infection that led to numerous hospitalizations.