Beauty parlour owner killed in Iraq's Basra

Three people, including a beauty parlour owner, have been killed in Iraq's southern province of Basra, the latest deaths in a spate of murders targeting activists and female social media stars.

One of those killed was a woman who owned a beauty shop in the centre of the city, an official from Iraq's High Commission for Human Rights said, BasNews reported on Sunday.

The two other victims, a man and a woman, were reportedly activists who had participated in recent protests in Basra. The motivation behind the killings is unknown.

A spate of recent killings of prominent women and activists in Iraq has sent shockwaves through the country.

Last month, human rights activist and mother of four Soad al-Ali, 46, was killed in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

She had been a prominent activist and was involved in protests in Basra against failing government services and water contamination that sent tens of thousands to hospital.

Days later, Iraqi social media star Tara Fares, 22, was shot dead in her car in the capital Baghdad.

She was murdered by unknown gunmen in the Kam Sara neighbourhood, with the ministry of interior saying they are investigating the killing

The model and journalist had a huge following on Instagram, with over 2 million followers. 

In August, the managers of Baghdad's two most high profile aesthetic and plastic surgery centres died in mysterious circumstances. 

The first was Rafif al-Yassiri, whose nickname was Barbie - the same name as her business venture. A week later Rasha al-Hassan, founder of the Viola Beauty Centre, was also found dead.