A shocking CCTV footage of the moment Iraqi TikToker Ghufran Sawadi, popularly known as Umm Fahad, being gunned down by a man on Friday night has come to the fore. The shooting happened in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad's Zayouna district, prompting the Ministry of Interior to set up a team to investigate Sawadi's killing.
In the CCTV footage, the gunman can be seen riding a motorbike and passing a stationary car. The assailant then parked his bike behind a wall. According to reports, he approached Sawadi under the pretence of delivering food to her. He then proceeded to shoot her.
Watch the video below
Visuals of Sawadi's blood-ridden body in the car surfaced on social media. Her death sent shockwaves across social media and left her followers in mourning.
Who was Ghufran Sawadi?
Sawadi was popular in Iraq for her videos on TikTok where she posted content related to dance and pop music. She reportedly garnered tens of thousands on the video-sharing platform.
In her TikTok videos, Sawadi was often seen in snug clothes, which is not a common sight in the conservative Iraq. She was sentenced to six month in jail for “undermining modesty and public morality” by a court in February 2023. Her sentencing came after the Iraqi government launched in 2023 to clear social media content supposedly not in line with Iraqi “morals and traditions”, according to reports.
According to reports, Sawadi and another social media influencer Dalia Naeem, popularly known as 'Iraqi Barbie', were involved in a feud. Naeem had reportedly threatened to reveal Sawadi’s alleged “relationship” with senior Iraqi officials.
Killing of social media influencers in Iraq
Gunning down of social media influencers in Iraq is not uncommon. In September 2023, TikToker Noor Alsaffar was shot dead in Baghdad. With followers over 3,70,000, Alsaffar's made content on fashion and makeup. She was also often seen dancing in her videos. Her shooting triggered mixed reactions in Iraq. While some mourned Alsaffar's death, others commended the person who shot her.
In 2018, 22-year-old model and influencer Tara Fares was shot dead by gunmen in 2018.
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