Egyptian actor Ashraf Meselhy has passed away at the age of 49 following a battle with cancer, leaving the entertainment industry in mourning. Meselhy had been fighting the disease for three years and had recently been hospitalised and subsequently treated at home. He was unable to move or speak and could not eat, according to his wife. The actor, who starred in the TV series Al Ikhtiar (The Choice),had been suffering from one of the most dangerous forms of cancer in the world. The show tells the story of Ahmed Al-Mansi, the commander of the 103rd Battalion, who was killed in a terrorist ambush in 2017 while guarding against an attack in Rafah, Sinai. The popular drama featured a number of famous actors, including Amir Karara, Ahmed Al-Awadi, Sarah Adel, Ahmed Fouad Selim, Mahmoud Hafez and Dina Fouad, and was written by Baher Dewidar and directed by Peter Mimi. Many industry professionals and fans paid tribute to Meselhy, including famed actress Yousra, who had previously called for his speedy recovery. This followed his wife's announcement that he had been hospitalised after a period of ill health. Director Manal Al-Sayyed also expressed her best wishes for Meselhy, writing religious prayers online. In July of last year, during a phone interview on the TV show Masaa DMC, Al-Sayyed revealed that a specialist medical team was monitoring Meselhy continuously at home after an operation in which a tumour was removed. She said he was in good spirits despite his life-threatening illness and expressed her hope that he would make a full recovery.