5+ Iraqi Airways executives suspended over missing capital

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's Ministry of Transport suspended eight senior Iraqi Airways officials on Sunday as authorities investigate the disappearance of 16 billion Iraqi dinars ($12.2M) from the state-owned carrier's accounts.

An official document showed that Transport Minister Wahab Salman al-Hassani ordered the suspensions under Iraq's State Employees Discipline Law, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Those affected include Muthanna Mohammed Hashoush, commercial director; Abbas Taama Awad, former legal director; Mohammed Mahmoud Mohammed, contracts director; Iyass Saadi Musajjal, former finance director; Zainab Mohammed Abdul Redha, head of the revenue audit section; Muayyad Ibrahim Ubaid of the legal department; Hanan Khazal Faraj of the branch accounts department; and Haider Husni Alwan, head of the fuel section.

A source familiar with the matter told Shafaq News that the move was intended to allow investigators to complete their inquiry into the missing funds without interference.

Earlier on Sunday, another source indicated that Iraq's Anti-Corruption Committee is preparing a list of about 127 people suspected of amassing wealth through illicit property purchases and overseas investments made with public funds, as part of the ongoing "Dawn Crackdown" (Sawlat Al-Fajr), a nationwide anti-corruption campaign launched on June 28 under the directive of Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi.

The campaign has led to the arrest of 67 officials, with the number of suspects expected to exceed 200.