Syrian actress Huda Shaarawi was found dead in her home in Damascus on Thursday, state media reported.
Shaarawi, who was in her 80s, starred in Bab Al Hara – one of the most popular TV series in the Arab world – after a career in Syrian cinema. Her maid is a suspect and the Interior Ministry said it had opened an "expanded investigation" to "bring everyone involved to justice".
Shaarawi's official social media account confirmed her death, saying she "left an indelible mark on the hearts of a wide audience of fans of Syrian drama".
Damascus residents say rising crime, especially armed robbery, has been a challenge for the government that took over after the downfall of former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad in December 2024. No official crime statistics are available.
Bab Al Hara ran for more than 10 seasons over the past two decades, mainly broadcast during Ramadan on satellite channels. The series was set in Syria when the country was under the French Mandate in the 1940s. Shaarawi played a matriarch called Um Zaki.
The state news agency described Shaarawi as "one of the most prominent symbols of Syrian art". She started her acting career in the 1960s in movies and started performing in television dramas in the 1970s. She was twice named best artist by the Syrian Artists Associated organisation.
