AJ
🔹 Security forces in Iraq launched one of the country’s largest anti-corruption operations in recent years on Sunday, when they carried out coordinated dawn raids across Baghdad’s Green zone, along with several other governorates, which resulted in the arrests of dozens of politicians, lawmakers, and senior government officials.
🔹 The operation was led by Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service and was supported by the Iraqi Army, the Integration Commission, and other security agencies, acting on judicial warrants targeting suspects accused of financial corruption.
🔹 Raids began before sunrise inside Baghdad’s Green Zone, the seat of Iraq’s political leadership, government institutions, and foreign diplomatic missions, including the US Embassy, and authorities temporarily closed access to the Green Zone while security forces searched government buildings, private residences and other locations.
🔹 Operations were also conducted in several other parts of Baghdad and additional governorates as authorities pursued suspects who had reportedly fled after hearing about the ongoing arrests.
🔹 According to Iraqi state media, the campaign stemmed from testimony that was provided by the former Deputy Oil Minister, Adnan al-Jumaili, following his arrest in May on corruption charges, while investigators say al-Jumaili’s testimony implicated a broader network of politicians, lawmakers, and senior officials, prompting investigators to expand the investigation.
🔹 Iraqi state media reported that 47 suspects have now been arrested, including current members of parliament whose parliamentary immunity had been lifted 48 hours prior to the operation.
🔹 Among those detained was Muthanna al-Samarrai, leader of the Al-Azm Alliance, and a member of the party confirmed to Al Jazeera that al-Samarrai his office manager were arrested during a raid on his residence in the Green Zone, and authorities announced one of Iraq’s largest corruption-related asset seizures as part of the investigation into al-Jumaili.
🔹 Investigators said they had confiscated more than 98 billion Iraqi dinars, approximately $86 million in cash, an additional $11 million in US currency, nearly three kilograms of gold, 70 residential and commercial properties, 21 vehicles, between 70 and 85 firearms, hundreds of ammunition magazines, and dozens of ammunition crates and equipment cases, as Iraqi authorities confirmed part of the cash was discovered buried nearly four metres underground on farmland.
🔹 The operation represents the most significant operation undertaken relating to corruption since Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi took office in late April, but he has repeatedly pledged to confront corruption networks that have shaped Iraqi politics for decades, making government accountability a central priority of his administration.
🔹 Abdul Rahman al-Jazaeri, a leader within the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU), told Rudraw news that further arrests were expected, claiming the campaign is likely to continue until PM al-Zaidi’s scheduled visit to Washington on July 17.
🔹 Iraqi authorities have yet to issue a comprehensive official statement on the campaign, but media reports suggest additional arrests are expected in the coming days as investigators pursued suspects identified during the expanding corruption probe.
