“Before sunrise, security forces sealed off Baghdad’s Green Zone and moved in. By the end of the operation, lawmakers, senior officials and political figures had been taken into custody in what authorities describe as Iraq’s biggest anti-corruption crackdown in years.”
Iraqi security forces have arrested dozens of politicians, members of parliament, and senior government officials in a major anti-corruption operation that officials say marks the beginning of a broader campaign to tackle entrenched graft across the country.
The raids took place early Sunday inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, home to government institutions, parliament, and several foreign embassies. Security forces sealed off the area before carrying out coordinated arrests at multiple locations.
According to Iraqi authorities, 47 people are implicated in the investigation, including current lawmakers, senior government officials, and political figures. Several suspects were arrested during the overnight operation, while security forces continue searching for others who remain at large.
The investigation is linked to testimony provided by Adnan al-Jumaili, Iraq’s former deputy oil minister, who was arrested last month on corruption allegations. Officials say information obtained during that investigation led prosecutors to seek additional arrest warrants targeting other figures allegedly connected to corruption networks.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who took office in May, has made fighting corruption one of his administration’s top priorities. His government says years of financial misconduct have weakened public institutions, drained state resources, and damaged public confidence.
Government officials described Sunday’s operation as part of a wider effort to protect public funds and strengthen accountability across state institutions.
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Authorities have not yet released the full list of charges against those arrested.
Several of the detainees are reported to belong to political blocs associated with former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, although officials have not suggested the former leader himself is under investigation.
The arrests are expected to have significant political consequences.
Iraq has struggled with corruption for decades, with watchdog groups repeatedly ranking the country among the world’s most corruption-prone nations. Allegations involving public contracts, oil revenues, and misuse of government funds have fueled public anger and sparked repeated protests over the years.
While previous governments announced anti-corruption drives, many failed to secure high-profile convictions, leading critics to question whether political influence protected powerful figures from prosecution.
The latest operation appears to be one of the largest since Iraq’s current political transition began.
Officials say investigations are continuing and have indicated that more arrests could follow as prosecutors examine evidence gathered from financial records, witness testimony, and earlier corruption cases.
Whether the crackdown leads to lasting reforms remains uncertain. For now, however, the raids send a clear signal that Iraq’s new leadership intends to pursue some of the country’s most influential political and government figures as it seeks to demonstrate a tougher approach to corruption.
