The ongoing conflict in North Africa has had a devastating impact on Sudan, with consistent reports of fatalities as civil unrest continues. The country is now mourning the loss of Asia Abdel-Majid, its first professional stage actress and teacher. The 81-year-old was killed in the crossfire currently ravaging Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, where violence has escalated in recent weeks. Her death is a tragic reminder of the toll that the conflict is taking on the country’s people and cultural heritage.
The veteran actress died in her home in Bahri, a suburb north of the capital, after an onslaught of shells from either Sudan’s army or their rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF), her nephew told CNN. Abdel-Majid gained fame for her theatre performances, namely her 1965 performance in the play Pamseeka. The production took place at the country’s national theatre to mark the anniversary of Sudan’s first revolution against a coup leader. A pioneer in her field, and Sudan’s first professional stage actress, Abdel-Majid was the widow of Sudanese-Libyan poet Muhammad Al-Fayturi. Asia Abdel-Majid was buried on the grounds of a kindergarten shortly after her death, as taking her to a local cemetery bore too many dangers—according to her family.
Since mid-April, a power struggle between two men, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the army, and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has plunged Sudan into violence and uncertainty. Despite collaborating to oust former President Omar al-Bashir, the men have been unable to agree on power-sharing arrangements, resulting in at least 528 deaths. Nations around the world are evacuating their citizens as locals struggle to survive in the fourth week of fighting. Ceasefires have been short-lived, and peace talks seem unlikely as both sides resort to force to defeat the other. The situation remains dire for Sudan’s people, who continue to bear the brunt of the conflict’s devastating impact.
