BEIRUT (AP) — One of Lebanon's leading politicians, Walid Joumblatt, is mourning the death of his long time dog, Oscar.

Joumblatt on Friday announced the death of Oscar, seen by his side more often than not, in a tweet: "Good bye best friend, good bye most valuable comrade. Good bye my beloved Oscar."

Joumblatt, a maverick politician and leader of the Druze community, made the announcement shortly before meeting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the U.S. ambassador's residence near Beirut.

Over the past years, Oscar, a Shar Pei, often accompanied Joumblatt even when he met with dignitaries, whether in his Beirut home or mountain palace in Mukhtara village.

In a 2014 interview with the daily An-Nahar, Joumblatt had said that he and then 10-year-old Oscar were "getting old together."