Syrian actress Huda Shaarawi, who was found killed in her apartment in Damascus, Syria, on 29 Jan. 29, 2026. (Photo circulating on social media)
The Syrian Interior Ministry announced Thursday evening the arrest of the suspect in the murder of Syrian actress Huda Shaarawi, who was found dead the same day at her home in Damascus.
The 88-year-old actress was killed in the morning, attacked "with a blunt object, causing severe bleeding," according to a statement from the commander of internal security in Damascus, General Osama Atakeh. The actress's body has been transferred to the forensic laboratory, pending the final report.
The statement specifies that Shaarawi's Ugandan housekeeper confessed to the crime during questioning. She fled after the murder but was apprehended by security forces later that evening.
Born on Oct. 28, 1938, in Damascus, Shaarawi had a remarkable career on Syrian television, appearing in popular series such as "Ahl El Raya," "Ayam Shamiya," "Awdet Ghawar," and especially "Bab al-Hara," where she played Umm Zaki, the neighborhood midwife.
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