French newspaper Le Monde reported on Thursday that Ben Ali had a stroke earlier this week in Saudi Arabia, where he fled to in January following his ouster.
The paper has described the deposed president's condition as “worrying,” citing the blog of French journalist Nicolas Beau, a veteran reporter specializing in Tunisia.
The 74-year-old reportedly slipped into a coma on Tuesday while being treated in a Jeddah hospital after suffering a stroke.
The hospital in Jeddah, where Ben Ali was admitted under false identity, is reserved for Saudi princes, according to Le Monde.
Ben Ali and his family fled Tunisia for Saudi Arabia on January 14 after a popular revolution put an end to the dictator's 23-year grip on the North African country.
At least 147 people were killed and 510 injured during the Tunisian revolution, according to the United Nations.
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