Iraqi Election Candidate Killed in Baghdad Bombing Ahead of Vote
Source: Bloomberg
A candidate for Iraq’s upcoming legislative elections was killed in the explosion of a car bomb in northern Baghdad, the capital’s security forces said Wednesday.
A bomb exploded after midnight under a vehicle belonging to Safaa al-Mashhadani, one of the candidates in next month’s parliamentary elections. “The bomb resulted in his death and the injury of four others who were with him in the vehicle,” Baghdad Operations Command said in a statement.
Al-Mashhadani’s death marks the first political assassination ahead of Iraq’s elections, likely inflaming tensions in the highly polarized campaign and raising security concerns. Iraq has seen a significant decline in such attacks in recent years, contributing to oil firms such as Exxon Mobil Corp. making a return to the country following a run of instability and conflict.
Al-Mashhadani was due to run on behalf of one of the country’s largest Sunni Muslim blocs. The alliance, known as the Siyada Coalition, is led by prominent businessman Khamis al-Khanjar and includes several influential Sunni figures, such as the current parliamentary speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani.
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-15/iraqi-election-candidate-killed-in-baghdad-bombing-ahead-of-vote