Who was Om Fahad, the Iraqi TikTok star shot dead in Baghdad?

Baghdad: A well-known social media influencer in Iraq, Ghufran Mahdi Sawadi, also known as “Om Fahad,” was shot dead outside her home in central Baghdad on Saturday. The assailant, riding a motorcycle, shot Sawadi as she parked her car, then fled with her phone.

The incident occurred in the Zayoona neighbourhood, known for its history and recent prominence as a residence for influential figures. Sawadi’s murder adds to a string of targeted attacks on social media personalities in Baghdad, including the fatal shooting of Noor Alsaffar, known as “Noor BM,” last year.

Iraqi social media star ‘Influencer’ Om Fahad has been assassinated by Iranian militias of the Hashd Al Shaabi (PMF) today in Baghdad (Iraq)

She didn’t engage in politics or similar but was often attacked by these factions for her ‚liberal lifestyle‘

Enraging: her social… pic.twitter.com/6nOGV5twZL

— ScharoMaroof (@ScharoMaroof) April 26, 2024

 

Witnesses recount horror

Witnesses described the scene, with a neighbour recounting hearing gunshots and finding Sawadi slumped over the steering wheel of her car. Iraqi security forces sealed off the area, while investigations into the killing commenced.

An Iraqi security official said, “The assailant opened fire as Sawadi parked her Cadillac in front of her house on Friday, killing her, then took her phone and fled the scene.”

Who is Ghufran Mahdi Sawadi?

Sawadi’s presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram garnered tens of thousands of followers, where she shared videos of herself dancing to music. However, her online activities had drawn legal scrutiny. In 2023, she faced a six-month prison sentence for posting content deemed obscene by Iraqi authorities. 

Meanwhile, Iraq’s parliament passed an amendment to the country’s prostitution law, drawing criticism from human rights groups. The amendment imposes severe penalties, including lengthy prison terms, for same-sex relations and the promotion of “sexual deviancy.”

Acting parliamentary speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi defended the amendment as necessary to preserve societal values. However, human rights advocates condemned the move, citing violations of fundamental rights and ongoing violence against LGBT people in Iraq.