The death of Sudanese actress Asia Abdelmajid has shocked many, as the conflict in Sudan, which erupted on 15 April between the nation’s army and its paramilitary force, threatens to thrust the country into a raging civil war.
ADVERTISEMENTSudan’s first professional stage star Asia Abdelmajid was killed in crossfire in the north of the capital Khartoum.
Abdelmajid was considered a pioneer of the stage and was known for her theatre performances and rose to fame with the 1965 production of the play 'Pamseeka'. She later retired to become a teacher and was also known as the widow of Sudan’s acclaimed poet Mohamed Moftah Al Faitory.
According to her family, she was buried on Wednesday morning in the grounds of a kindergarten where she was working, because it was too dangerous to take her to a cemetery.
It is unclear who fired the shot that killed the 80-year-old actress in her home during clashes in the suburb of Bahri. According to the BBC, paramilitary fighters of the Rapid Support Forces are fighting from bases in residential areas across the city, while its army rivals tend to attack from the air.
Fighting is still raging in the capital Khartoum, despite a ceasefire agreement. Residents said the city was violently shaken this morning (Thursday 4 May) by air strikes.
Sudan's army and its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces previously said on Sunday (30 April) that they would extend a humanitarian cease-fire for a further 72 hours. The decision follows international pressure to allow the safe passage of civilians and aid, but the shaky truce has not stopped the clashes so far.
Both sides have accused the other of violations. The agreement has de-escalated the fighting in some areas but violence continues to push civilians to flee. Aid groups have also struggled to get badly needed supplies into the country.
The UN warned that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan was at “a breaking point.” UN chief Antonio Guterres has called on the warring factions to stop the fighting immediately, for fear that the conflict may escalate into an all-out war.
