Following an assassination attempt, former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed is in "critical" condition, according to doctors.

Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president and a key figure in the country's tumultuous politics, was rushed to the hospital late Thursday after an explosion.

He's had 16 hours of life-saving surgery in Male, the capital, since then for wounds to his head, face, abdomen, and limbs.

Nasheed was "in a critical condition in intensive care" on Friday evening, according to the private ADK hospital.

Shrapnel had been removed from one of his lungs and his liver, according to the hospital, but another fragment was still lodged in the same organ.

"We're hoping for a full recovery," a family member who did not want to be identified said, adding that Nasheed was alert and spoke with doctors when he was admitted.

Terrorist attack

Maldives police said in a text message that the blast would be treated as a terrorist attack, but did not elaborate on potential suspects or the bomb device. A ripped-up motorcycle was seen at the scene, according to photos that circulated on social media.

Nobody has taken responsibility for the explosion in Male's capital, which has reignited security fears in the tropical islands renowned for their high-end resorts.

The blast happened while Nasheed was getting into his car. According to news in the local media, a homemade explosive device was planted near his car on a motorcycle.

Unrest in politics

Political instability and militant activity have been linked to the archipelago in the past.

Former President Abdulla Yameen was unharmed in 2015 after an explosion on his speedboat, while a 2007 blast blamed on militants wounded 12 foreign visitors.

The blast on Thursday, according to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, a close ally of Nasheed, was an assault on the Maldives' "democracy and economy."

According to a statement released late Thursday by Solih, the government is seeking technical assistance from international partners in the event, and a team from the Australian Federal Police is scheduled to join the investigation on Saturday.

A powerful and outspoken leader

Nasheed has warned that terrorist groups are infiltrating the Muslim country on numerous occasions.

He's also been a vocal opponent of religious extremism in the predominantly Sunni Muslim country, where preaching and practicing other religions is illegal.

Nasheed's presidency ended a 30-year autocratic rule, but he resigned amid protests before the end of his tenure. Due to time spent in prison, he was defeated in the ensuing presidential election and became ineligible to run in the 2018 election. Solih, a party colleague, won the election.

Nasheed remained a powerful figure, and in 2019 he was elected Speaker of Parliament.

He has advocated for global efforts to combat climate change, especially rising seas that threaten his archipelago nation's low-lying islands.