Hussein Fareh/AFP/Getty Images
Iraqi TikTok superstar Ghufran Sawasdi, often known as Umm Fahad, was shot lifeless in Baghdad, Iraq, on Friday night time.
Baghdad, Iraq CNN —
Iraqi social media star Ghufran al-Sawadi, often known as Umm Fahd, was shot lifeless in entrance of his house within the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Friday night time, a Baghdad police official advised CNN.
The assault befell within the Zayuna district, east of Baghdad, and was captured on surveillance footage and shared on social media. The video exhibits a gunman on a motorbike taking pictures Sawasdi lifeless on the spot. A Baghdad police official confirmed to CNN the authenticity of the video.
The nation’s inside minister introduced on Friday that “a specialised job power is being shaped to research the circumstances of the homicide of a lady identified on social media by unknown assailants.”
Sawadee grew to become in style on TikTok, the place she shared movies of herself dancing to pop music whereas carrying skin-tight clothes. In the previous, these movies had been deemed inappropriate by Iraqi judicial authorities. A press release from Iraq’s judiciary stated Sawasdi was sentenced to 6 months in jail for “producing and releasing a number of movies and movies that violate public order and morals and include obscene and pornographic language.”
Other Iraqi social media figures have additionally been focused in lethal assaults up to now.
Just lately, one other in style Iraqi TikTok persona, Nour al-Saffar, often known as Noor BM, was shot and killed in Baghdad in September 2023, an Iraqi safety official advised CNN on the time.
Alsafar, who had greater than 370,000 followers throughout Instagram and TikTok, posted quick movies about vogue, hair and make-up, typically dancing to music.
Al-Safar’s killing comes as Iraq strikes to crack down on LGBTQ expression and criminalize it.