Iraqi election candidate survives shooting in Basra

Shafaq News – Basra

Gunmen opened fire on the vehicle of State of Law Coalition candidate Amjad Talib Mez’al al-Saymari in southern Basra on Wednesday, a police source told Shafaq News.

According to the source, Al-Saymari, an employee of the Basra Oil Company, was driving near the “symbolic graves” area in front of the Umm Qasr nurseries when assailants in an unmarked Crown sedan shot on his white Camry before fleeing.

Police revealed that bullet impacts were found on the rear left door and back window of the car, but no injuries were reported.

The coalition holds 33 seats out of the 329 total seats. The bloc is a key member of the Shiite Coordination Framework, which forms the core of the ruling alliance backing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

Read more: Iraq’s 2025 Parliamentary Elections — What You Need to Know

The incident adds to a growing wave of violence targeting candidates ahead of Iraq’s November 11 parliamentary elections. Earlier today, gunfire was also reported near the campaign office of a candidate from the Sadiqoun bloc, the political arm of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq movement led by Qais al-Khazali.