Sultan Qaboos of Oman flew home on Monday after spending more than eight months in Germany for medical treatment that was completely successful, state television reported. Qaboos returned after "having completed medical treatment in Germany whose results were crowned as a total success," the television announced.
Footage showed the visibly frail 74-year-old walking unaided from a royal aircraft and then along a red carpet before being driven away.
In his last public address, Qaboos appeared on television in November to tell his nation that he would miss the 44th anniversary of his inauguration and national day, saying his treatment was giving "good results".
A diplomatic source in Muscat had said the sultan, who has ruled Oman since overthrowing his father in a bloodless 1970 coup, was suffering from colon cancer.
Scores of people took to social media networks to celebrate the return of Qaboos, who is the longest serving leader in the Middle East and the only one many Omanis have ever had.
"For eight months, Omanis have been praying that their leader would recover," said one post on Twitter using the Arabic hashtag "Good news: Qaboos has returned".
"This leader deserves all this love. He has devoted himself, his time and efforts to Oman," said another.
State television played celebratory music and replayed footage of the sultan's plane landing in Muscat.
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