Former Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karami passed away overnight Wednesday at the age of 80 after a long battle with illness.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karami passed away overnight Wednesday at the age of 80 after a long battle with illness, a statement by his family said on Thursday.

"We have lost a precious person and the best husband, father and grandfather," it added.

Karami was Prime Minister of Lebanon for the first time from 24 December 1990, when Salim al-Hoss gave up power, until 13 May 1992, when he resigned due to economical instability.

He was sworn in again on 26 October 2004 and resigned on 19 April 2005, amid protests following the assassination of the ex-prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Several politicians, including Prime Minister Tamam Slam, Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel, former PM Najib Miqati, ex-PM Fouad Saniora, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and religious figures offered their condolences to the Karami Family.

The body of late Karami will be buried on Friday at noon at the family's cemetery in Tripoli's Bab al-Ramel neighborhood.

PM Salam later declared an official three-day period of mourning and said flags on every public building would fly at half-mast for three days from Friday to mourn the death of ex-PM Karami.