PM Al-Zaidi vows tougher anti-corruption crackdown
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi vowed on Saturday a tougher crackdown on corruption, pledging that no official would be spared “regardless of his affiliation.”
During a visit to the Interior Ministry, al-Zaidi praised the ministry’s role in maintaining stability and public order, noting that its direct interaction with citizens should be matched by services grounded in respect for human rights and insulated from political influence.
On anti-corruption efforts, he described the Interior Ministry as the government’s “arm” in implementing its strategy to combat graft, instructing the Integrity Commission, the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, and security agencies to continue pursuing corruption-related cases and recover public funds across state institutions.
On June 28, the Iraqi government launched Operation “Dawn Crackdown,” a nationwide anti-corruption campaign under al-Zaidi’s direction. A security source informed Shafaq News that the operation led to more than 67 arrests in its first 24 hours. Sources familiar with the operation reported that the initial phase is expected to target more than 200 current and former officials, politicians, business owners, and other suspects.
Read more: Iraq detains top officials in anti-corruption sweep: What we know so far
