Iraqi social media influencer Om Fahad was fatally shot outside her residence in Baghdad’s eastern Zayne neighborhood on Friday, as reported by local media outlets.

Iraq’s interior ministry issued a statement confirming that a “woman known on social networking sites” had been killed by “unknown assailants”.

The ministry also announced the formation of a ‘specialized work team’ to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.”

Fahad, known by her real name Ghufran Sawadi, was allegedly shot while in her car by a lone individual on a motorbike. According to an Iraqi security source speaking to the AFP news agency, the attacker seemed to have disguised as a food delivery person. Additionally, the US-owned Al Hurra news agency reported that another woman sustained injuries during the attack.

Fahad gained prominence on TikTok for posting videos of herself dancing to pop music in tight-fitting attire, amassing tens of thousands of followers.

Last year, she received a six-month prison sentence for sharing videos deemed to undermine “modesty and public morality” by the court. This ruling came after the establishment of a government committee tasked with monitoring social media platforms for offensive content and penalizing those responsible. The independent Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor expressed grave concern, stating, “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.”

More recently, tensions between Fahad and fellow influencer Dalia Naeem have intensified. Naeem, nicknamed “Iraqi Barbie” for her numerous plastic surgery procedures, has allegedly been threatening to expose Fahad’s purported relationship with senior Iraqi officials, according to media reports.