Iraq corruption campaign to pursue 200+ officials

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's anti-corruption campaign will target more than 200 officials, politicians, former and current deputy ministers, and business owners during its initial 72-hour phase as part of a six-month operation, a well-informed source told Shafaq News on Sunday.

The source said the campaign began before dawn under the direct supervision of Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi and with judicial backing, focusing on cases of illicit enrichment and unexplained wealth involving suspects accused of exploiting state resources for personal gain. It also targets brokers, intermediaries, and companies suspected of serving as fronts to launder money on behalf of political and government figures or facilitate the misuse of public funds.

Authorities are working to lift parliamentary immunity for suspects named in legal case files to enable judicial proceedings, a step the source said could help recover substantial public funds during the campaign's first phase.

The campaign also revives Iraq's long-delayed "Where Did You Get This?" initiative, which examines whether officials' assets correspond to their declared income. The source said the file had previously been delayed because of political pressure but was reopened with judicial backing as Iraq's financial situation deteriorated.

The source added that the campaign would extend beyond Iraq's borders, with authorities preparing arrest warrants and coordinating with Interpol to pursue suspects abroad and recover assets acquired through the misuse of public funds and state institutions for personal gain.

Read more: Iraq detains 47 officials in anti-corruption sweep: What we know so far