BAGHDAD: Iraqi security forces arrested several politicians, lawmakers, and senior government officials on early Sunday, June 28, in Baghdad as part of a major anti-corruption drive.
Security and legal sources said elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) units carried out coordinated raids in the heavily fortified Green Zone and detained multiple individuals linked to alleged corruption networks.
Officials said the operation took place after arrest warrants were issued by judicial authorities on the direct orders of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who has pledged to take strong action against long standing corruption in the country. Authorities said the crackdown targets individuals suspected of running wider corruption schemes within government institutions.
Zaidi, who took office in May, has pledged to tackle entrenched corruption, one of Iraq's most persistent governance challenges despite repeated promises by successive governments to hold officials accountable.https://t.co/seUHUd7sqL
— The Star (@staronline) June 28, 2026
The raids followed earlier arrests, including a senior deputy oil minister, whose interrogation reportedly helped investigators identify additional suspects. Based on this information, security teams expanded the operation and carried out further arrests across Baghdad Green Zone, where many top officials live and work.
In addition, officials confirmed that some suspects managed to escape before security forces arrived. This prompted authorities to temporarily close entry points to the Green Zone and launch a wider search operation, the crackdown is expected to continue in the coming days as investigations expand.
Furthermore, no official government statement has yet been released about the full list of arrests or charges. However, investigators believe the case involves a broader network of officials accused of corruption-related activities.
Government of Iraq reaffirmed its commitment to tackling corruption, while security forces maintain heightened operations in the capital to track remaining suspects and secure key government zones.
