TikTok sensation Om Fahad has been tragically killed outside her home in what appears to be a targeted assassination.
The incident occurred on Friday in Baghdad’s Zayne neighbourhood, with the interior ministry confirming that “unknown assailants” carried out the attack.
Security sources suggest it was a deliberate hit, reports the Mirror.
The assailant, whose identity remains a mystery, is said to have shot the influencer while she was in her vehicle, having approached on a motorbike under the guise of a food delivery to elude detection.
During the assault, another woman sustained injuries, as reported by Al Hurra news agency.
Authorities have reportedly assembled a “specialist work team” to delve into the events leading up to the death of the TikTok celebrity.
Om Fahad was renowned for her upbeat videos featuring her dancing to Iraqi tunes in stylish attire.
She had recently been embroiled in a public spat with another social media figure, Dalia Naeem, also known as Iraqi Barbie, who is infamous for her cosmetic enhancements.
In a report by the BBC, it’s believed that Iraqi Barbie threatened to expose her alleged affair with a security official.
Earlier last year, the court sentenced Om – real name Ghufran Sawadi – to six months behind bars for sharing “videos containing indecent speech that undermines modesty and public morality.”
These charges came as part of the Iraqi government’s clampdown on social media conduct that is said to breach its traditional “morals and traditions.”
An interior ministry committee was set up to trawl through content across various social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, in search of clips believed to transgress the country’s cultural values.
A promotional video from the ministry highlighted: “This type of content is no less dangerous than organised crime. It is one of the causes of the destruction of the Iraqi family and society.”
Since then, several other influencers ended up in handcuffs, authorities reported.
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Shockingly, just days after Oms prison sentencing, another influencer Assal Hossam got the same treatment but with harsher consequences as she received a two-year jail sentence.
Some of her videos showcased her wearing a form-fitting military uniform, which irrefutably aggravated those wielding power.
Despite years of civil unrest and war following the 2003 invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein, Iraq appeared to return to a state of normality.
However, civil liberties for women and minority groups remained restricted to maintain a conservative and traditional society.
Om is sadly not the first influencer to be shot dead. In 2018 Tara Fares was also gunned down by gunmen in Baghdad.
Human Rights organisation Amnesty International recently released a report against restriction over freedom of speech.
The report read: “Authorities intensified their repression of LGBTI people’s rights. Protection from gender-based violence remained severely limited in central Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of IraqIt added: “Between April and December, an additional 13 people had been charged.
The majority were released on bail or after charges against them were dropped, but at least one person was convicted and sentenced to a prison term of three months and 10 days.
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Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
