Iraqi TikTok star Om Fahad shot dead in Baghdad
According to reports from local media, Om Fahad, a prominent figure in Iraqi social media, was fatally shot outside her residence in Baghdad. The incident occurred in the Zayne neighborhood of the capital on Friday.
Iraq’s interior ministry confirmed the death of a “woman known on social networking sites” due to unknown attackers and announced the formation of a team to investigate the circumstances surrounding her demise.
Identified by her real name, Ghufran Sawadi, Fahad was allegedly shot while in her vehicle by an individual riding a motorcycle. Sources suggest that the assailant posed as a food delivery person. Another woman was reportedly injured in the attack, as per Al Hurra news agency.
Fahad gained prominence on TikTok, where she shared videos of herself dancing to popular music while dressed in fitted attire, amassing tens of thousands of followers.
However, she faced legal consequences last year, receiving a six-month prison sentence for posting videos deemed to undermine “modesty and public morality” by the court.
This incident coincided with the government’s establishment of a committee aimed at monitoring social media content and punishing offenders.
Criticism from organizations like the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor highlighted concerns over the vague charges used to detain and convict social media content creators, emphasizing the infringement on natural rights.
More recently, tensions between Fahad and fellow influencer Dalia Naeem have reportedly intensified.
Naeem – who is known as “Iraqi Barbie” due to her many plastic surgery procedures – had been threatening to expose Fahad’s alleged relationship with senior Iraqi officials, media reports say.
