According to a report by Iraqi News, 47 senior government officials, members of parliament, and business figures have been arrested in a large-scale anti-corruption operation in Baghdad on charges including financial corruption, oil smuggling, and dollar smuggling. The operation was carried out on Sunday, 28 June, in Baghdad’s Green Zone and several other upscale neighborhoods.
According to the report, the Green Zone an area under heavy security that houses key government institutions and the residences of a number of senior political figures was the primary focus of the operation. Iraqi News claimed that the operation was ordered and orchestrated by Iraq’s new Prime Minister, Ali Al-Zaidi.
The report states that security forces sealed off all entry and exit points to the Green Zone before dawn, allowing passage only to students carrying examination admission cards. According to the news agency, the operation concluded without armed confrontation, resulting in the arrest of 47 individuals.
Citing a security official, the report says those detained include members of parliament, officials from political parties, senior government officials, company executives, and influential businessmen. The official did not disclose the identities of the suspects.
Iraqi News reported that the operation, code-named “Phase One,” was planned in strict secrecy and executed in coordination between the Prime Minister and the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq Zaidan. To prevent political interference and information leaks, special units from the Counter-Terrorism Service were reportedly deployed to carry out the operation.
According to the report, simultaneous raids were conducted in the Green Zone, Al-Mansour, Al-Yarmouk, Zayouna, Sadr City, and Al-Shaab districts of Baghdad, as well as in the provinces of Babil, Maysan, and Erbil. The Central Criminal Court for Combating Corruption has reportedly referred the cases of the 47 detainees to a federal commission to begin legal proceedings.
The report further states that searches of the suspects’ homes and offices uncovered safes containing substantial amounts of Iraqi and foreign currency. Iraqi News also reported that judicial authorities had issued immediate travel bans against a number of political figures, lawmakers, and bank owners.
Security sources told Iraqi News that a second phase of the operation is already being planned and will target senior political figures, party leaders, and influential economic actors. The news agency also reported that Adnan Jalili, the Deputy Minister of Oil, had been arrested earlier.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
