A popular Iraqi influencer was shot dead by a man on a motorbike while sitting in her car outside her home in Baghdad, according to officials.
Ghufran Sawadi, known online as Om Fahad, had thousands of followers on TikTok, where she shared her daily routines, danced to pop music and posed in elegant and sometimes form-fitting attire.
The driver, who was dressed in black and wearing a helmet, was pretending to make a food delivery in the eastern part of the capital city when he shot Sawadi in her SUV, according to reports.
It came after the government launched a campaign against social media content that it said breached “morals and traditions.” A committee was established to scour TikTok, YouTube and other platforms for “offensive” clips.
Other prominent female influencers in the Middle Eastern country have also been arrested and targeted.
Noor Alsaffar, a 23-year-old TikToker, was shot dead in September 2023 and Tara Fares, a 22-year-old model and influencer, was murdered by gunmen in 2018, according to reports.
Naeem was allegedly threatening to expose Sawadi’s supposed “relationship” with senior Iraqi officials.
An apparent backup account of Sawadi’s had more than 33,000 followers.
Officials said that a well-known Iraqi influencer was shot and killed by a man riding a motorcycle as she sat in her car outside her Baghdad home.
With thousands of followers on TikTok, Ghufran Sawadi—also known online as Om Fahad—shared her daily activities, danced to pop music, and posed in tasteful, occasionally form-fitting clothes.
The BBC reported that the interior ministry of Iraq confirmed the death of a “woman known on social networking sites” late on Friday night by “unknown assailants,” and that a “specialized” team would look into her death.
At the eastern part of the capital city, Sawadi was driving an SUV when the driver, who was wearing a helmet and all black, reportedly shot her.
For “videos containing indecent speech that undermines modesty and public morality,” Sawadi was reportedly sentenced to six months in prison last year by a judge in the conservative nation where women’s civil liberties are still severely restricted.
The government’s campaign against social media content that it claimed violated “morals and traditions” prompted this intervention. A committee was set up to search YouTube, TikTok, and other sites for videos deemed “offensive.”.
Sawadi’s content, according to a report published last year by the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, “did not exceed the limits of their rights to freedom of opinion, expression, and publication.”.
The Middle Eastern nation has also targeted and arrested other well-known female influencers.
Reports state that in September 2023, a gunman shot and killed Noor Alsaffar, a 23-year-old TikToker, and in 2018, gunmen killed Tara Fares, a 22-year-old model and influencer.
Tiba al-Ali, a 22-year-old YouTuber, was allegedly the victim of an honor killing in January 2023 when her father strangled her. “.
It has been reported that there has been an escalation in the feud between Sawadi and fellow influencer Dalia Naeem, aka “Iraqi Barbie.”. It was purported that Naeem was threatening to reveal Sawadi’s purported “relationship” with high ranking Iraqi officials.
Sawadi’s apparent backup account had over 33,000 followers. Over a million people watched a December video in which Sawadi talked with a jeweler while wearing a complex gold necklace and listening to music.
“God rest her soul” and “God have mercy on her” were among the many comments left after her death. “.
The translated bio for the account said, “I love you, my followers,” in Arabic. “.
