Iraqi TikTok influencer Ghufran Sawadi, known as Om Fahad, met a tragic end as she was shot dead in her car in Baghdad on Friday.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry released a statement confirming the killing of a “woman known on social media” by “unknown assailants.”
Sawadi was reportedly shot while standing outside her home in the Zayne neighborhood, east of the capital. The attacker, riding a motorcycle, targeted the influencer.
An Iraqi security source revealed to AFP news agency that the assailant posed as a food delivery person. Reports from local media indicate that another woman sustained injuries in the attack.
The government swiftly responded by forming a specialized team to investigate the death of the influencer, who gained fame on TikTok for her videos featuring pop music and wearing revealing attire.
With over 450 thousand followers on the platform, Sawadi’s latest video, posted just six days ago, garnered nearly two million views. However, her popularity came with controversy, as she was sentenced to six months in prison last year for content deemed to violate “modesty and public morality.”
Following the incident, the Iraqi government established a committee to monitor social media platforms and hold accountable those responsible for offensive content.
Local media reports suggest a feud between Sawadi and fellow influencer Dalia Naeem, known as “Iraqi Barbie.” Naeem had allegedly threatened to expose Sawadi’s purported relationship with high-ranking Iraqi officials.