A popular TikTok influencer was fatally shot outside her home by someone posing as a delivery person.

Last January, Om Fahed was seen at the Arabian Gulf Cup football tournament. However, recent news has shocked the world as reports claim that she has been killed. According to local sources, the well-known Iraqi TikTok star was shot outside her home in Baghdad. It is believed that the attacker was a gunman on a motorbike, posing as a food delivery person. Iraqi security officials have stated that Om was in her car when the incident occurred.

The interior ministry of Iraq has released a statement confirming the death of a woman known on social media platforms. The BBC reports that the ministry also mentioned that the assailants responsible for the attack are unknown. Om, whose real name was Ghufran Sawadi, was known for her entertaining TikTok videos where she danced in form-fitting clothes. Her videos had gained her a huge following of tens of thousands of people.

However, in February of 2023, she was sentenced to six months in jail for sharing videos that were deemed to contain indecent speech and were considered to undermine modesty and public morality. This was a part of the Iraqi government's campaign to regulate social media content that they believed was against Iraqi morals and traditions. Om was known for her videos where she danced in form-fitting clothes, which may have been one of the reasons why she was targeted.

An interior ministry committee was set up to monitor social media platforms such as TikTok for any content that they deemed offensive. As a result, several other influencers have been arrested, according to authorities. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has raised concerns about the Iraqi government's actions, stating that the detention and conviction of social media content creators on vague charges goes against their natural rights.

Iraq has seen a significant decline in violence and conflict since the 2003 US invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein. Despite this, there are still restrictions on civil liberties for women, sexual minorities, and other groups in the conservative society. According to the BBC, there was a recent feud between Om and another influencer, Dalia Naeem. It is reported that Naeem, also known as "Iraqi Barbie" due to her numerous plastic surgeries, had threatened to expose Om's alleged relationship with senior Iraqi officials.

This is not the first time that a social media influencer has been targeted in Iraq. In 2018, model and influencer Tara Fares was also shot and killed by gunmen on a motorbike while she was in her car. The attack was captured on footage, which was later released. The news of Om's death has once again raised concerns about the safety of influencers and the freedom of expression in Iraq.

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