Iraqi social media star Om Fahad has been killed.
According to local media reports via BBC News, the influencer was shot dead outside her home in Baghdad, Iraq on Friday. She was in the capital’s eastern neighborhood Zayne, and was allegedly sitting in her car when someone with a gun rode by on a motorbike and murdered her. According to CNN, the attack was captured on video by a surveillance camera and shared across social media. Jeez.
A statement released by Iraq’s interior ministry, also via the BBC, confirmed that a “woman known on social networking sites” was killed by “unknown assailants.” A “specialised work team” has been set up to investigate her death. No arrests have been made yet.
Related: Daughter Hears ‘Monster’ In Walls — Thank Goodness Her Parents Listened!
Per an Iraqi security source who spoke with AFP news agency, the assailant was seemingly pretending to be making a food delivery at the time of the murder. The Al Hurra news agency, which is US-owned, also claimed another woman was injured in the attack. An Iraqi security official told CBS News that the other individual in the car escaped, and that the assailant allegedly took Fahad’s phone with them after the killing.
If you don’t know, Fahad — born Ghufran Sawadi — was very popular on TikTok and Instagram, with some of her posts earning more than a million views. Among other things, she gained fame for sharing dancing videos in form-fitting clothes.
@omfahad_38 #ام_فهد #المهره_غفران_ام_فهد #الشعب_الصيني_ماله_حل???????? #الشيخه
Because of this, she was sentenced to six months in prison last year when the court determined her content undermined “modesty and public morality.” This was after the government launched a committee to monitor social media platforms for content it deemed offensive, and then going on to publish those responsible. The nonprofit Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor declared at the time:
“Iraqi authorities’ detention and conviction of several social media content creators on vague charges that do not justify the restriction of natural rights is extremely concerning.”
According to CNN, other Iraqi social media stars have previously been the targets of deadly attacks in recent years, as well.
Most recently, per the BBC, Om had sparked a feud with influencer Dalia Naeem, who is known as “Iraqi Barbie” because of how much plastic surgery she’s had. Naeem was allegedly threatening to expose Fahad’s alleged relationship with senior Iraqi officials, per reports. It’s unclear if that had anything to do with the death. Regardless, this is truly such a tragedy…
R.I.P.
Related Posts
