'I will not lose hope': May Scaff, actress who opposed Assad dies in France

May Scaff, an exiled Syrian actress known for her opposition to the Bashar al-Assad's regime, died in France on Monday, according to friends and activists.

The news was confirmed by Syrian director Taher Moussa, who described the late actress as "one of the [world's] most noblest people and strongest souls".

Scaff was one of the most famous dissidents against the Assad regime in Syria's art scene. She was detained several times after attending pro-democracy protests that swept through Syria in 2011.

As the regime responded with a violent military crackdown, the protests evolved into a rebellion, which escalated into a major conflict after 2012.

Scaff's last words on Facebook were posted on 21 July: "I will not lose hope, never lose hope. It is Great Syria, not Assad's Syria."

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Scaff had been living in exile in France since 2013. The exact cause of death has not been revealed, but commentators on social media were circulating reports she had suffered a sudden cardiac event or cancer. 

Born in 1969 in Damascus, Scaff starred in several celebrated roles in Syrian television and cinema, after graduating with a degree in French literature. 

After 2011, she was nicknamed by Syrians as the 'icon of the revolution'. 

At least 500,000 people have been killed in the war, mostly civilians killed by the regime and its powerful allies, according to independent monitors.

Around half the population have been displaced, both inside and outside of Syria, due to bombing and fighting.

The brutal tactics pursued by the regime have included the use of chemical weapons, sieges, mass executions and torture against civilians with investigations into war crimes being launched.