Peregraf– Safaa Mashhadani, a member of the Baghdad Provincial Council and a candidate for the Iraqi Council of Representatives elections on the Sovereignty Alliance list, was assassinated on Wednesday morning in the Tarmiah area of Baghdad.
According to security sources, a sticky bomb attached to Mashhadani’s vehicle detonated during a field visit, killing him instantly and injuring four of his colleagues. The attack marks the first assassination of an election candidate ahead of the November 11 parliamentary vote.
The Sovereignty Alliance, one of the largest Sunni political blocs led by Khamis al-Khanjar, is contesting seats in Baghdad, Kirkuk, Diyala, Salah al-Din, Nineveh, and Anbar. Safaa Mashhadani was considered a prominent Sunni Arab candidate representing Tarmiah.
Following the assassination, Speaker of the Council of Representatives Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, a leading figure in the alliance, issued a statement mourning the slain candidate and condemning the attack as a “cowardly terrorist act that sought to silence men of principle.”
“Tarmiah has lost one of its loyal and righteous sons who dedicated himself to serving the people,” the Speaker said. He urged the government and security agencies to open an immediate investigation, and announced that parliament will also form a committee to probe the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Speaker extended condolences to the family of the slain candidate and the people of Tarmiah, praying for mercy upon his soul.
The assassination is expected to heighten security concerns ahead of next month’s national elections, as political tensions rise and candidates campaign across the country.