Alwaght- Sunday morning, the Iraqi capital Baghdad woke up with the biggest security operation of recent years. The operation opened inside and around the Green Zone and a number of provinces with detention of a number of current and former members of parliament and previous government officials.
According to security and media resources, the operation was launched in the early hours of Sunday morning with the closure of all gates of the Green Zone. A convoy of armored vehicles operated by the Counterterrorism Service entered the Green Zone and tanks were deployed around it.
At the same time, tight security measures were enforced on the road leading to Baghdad International Airport, with passengers’ identities being meticulously checked. The situation was so bizarre and unprecedented that some media outlets initially floated the possibility of a coup unfolding in the capital. Hours later, however, it became clear that the crackdown was actually aimed at probing financial corruption cases and mismanagement of public funds.
A senior official told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the campaign was triggered by confessions from Adnan al-Jumaili, a former deputy oil minister now facing extensive interrogation over graft and embezzlement charges. According to the source, al-Jumaili’s testimony has opened multiple cases against a host of deputies, officials, and even high-profile political figures, with authorities stressing that the investigations “are ongoing and no one will be exempt.”
Limited clashes following security deployment
Local sources reported that during the crackdown, a number of targeted officials clashed with security forces, leading to sporadic resistance to law enforcement forces. However, security forces managed to fast contain the situation and implement full control.
A number of the detainees, reports held, were immediately handed over to the Commission of Integrity. Their cases include the biggest of financial corruption in the country.
Prominent figures among the detainees, with huge amounts of embezzled public funds
Despite the sheer scale of the operation, Iraqi officials have yet to release official final figures on those detained. Initial estimates, however, suggest that around 47 officials, including deputies, ministers, advisors, and executive directors, have been arrested, though some media outlets put the total number of detainees as high as 140.
Among those rounded up are 12 current members of parliament, two deputy oil ministers, two former governors (Basra and Babel), and a number of provincial governors and local officials. Notable names on the list include Muthanna al-Samarrai, Mohammed al-Karbouli, Ali Naseef, Baha al-Nouri, Hassan al-Khafaji, Mudhar al-Karawi, Ibrahim al-Samidaie, and Mohammed al-Sayhoud.
Judicial sources indicate that the investigations have so far led to the seizure of vast sums, amounting to 98 billion Iraqi dinars and $11 million, alongside real estate, luxury vehicles, and gold bullion. Part of these assets were discovered in unusual locations, such as private homes or underground hiding spots.
According to unofficial data, the actual embezzlement figures dwarf these amounts dramatically; in just one case, the fraud attributed to Muthanna al-Samarrai is estimated at a staggering 2 trillion dinars, equivalent to roughly $1.5 billion.
Close security and judicial coordination
Political sources hold that the operation was designed and executed under the direct coordination of the Prime Minister's office and the judiciary, overseen by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi and Supreme Judicial Council Chief Faeq Zaidan, with the explicit goal of rooting out corruption from state institutions.
The crackdown comes as reports indicate that the Iraqi government plans to soon submit a comprehensive anti-corruption dossier to Washington, aiming to redefine bilateral relations on new economic and security foundations.
As investigations continue, key questions remain unanswered: the full scope of the targeted networks, the extent of international coordination involved, and whether this marks the dawn of a new chapter in Iraq's political and security landscape, all still shrouded in uncertainty.
Rampant corruption in Iraq's structures
Iraq's economic, financial, and administrative structures are deeply ravaged by runaway corruption, so much so that, according to the latest Transparency International index for 2025, the country scored just 28 out of 100. Drawing on data from 13 international bodies including the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, the report shows that Iraq's average corruption score from 2003 to 2025 has been 19.26, hitting an all-time high of 28 in 2025 and a record low of 13 in 2008. The country also ranks eighth among Arab states with the worst corruption records.
This open acknowledgment of corruption woven into Iraq's economic fabric has, in recent years, pushed both public opinion and the supreme Shiite religious authority to name anti-graft efforts as a top priority for lawmakers and government officials alike. In parallel, anti-corruption pledges have come to dominate the electoral discourse of political parties and blocs, featuring prominently in their campaigns.
New government resolved to fight corruption: Al-Zaydi on test
While the al-Zaydi government's latest crackdown was clearly aimed at projecting a firm anti-corruption stance to the public, Iraqis have a long memory, one filled with past administrations that, early in their terms, launched similar campaigns under various committee and agency banners. Those efforts often made a splash at first but ultimately fell far short of their lofty promises, never delivering the results the public expected. Even when arrests were made, the usual backroom deals would later secure the suspects' release, allowing them to slip away from accountability, often without a trace of where the stolen billions had actually gone. A classic case in point: the "heist of the century" involving Nouri Zuhair Jasim, which exploded during al-Kadhimi's premiership.
So, while the al-Zaydi government appears to be courting public approval to shore up support for its economic agenda and bolster the cabinet's legitimacy in these tough times, especially with the risk of fresh street protests and an early political crisis looming large, Iraqis are now waiting to see just how far this process will go, and whether these arrests will actually make a dent in corruption.
In a statement released by the PM's office on Sunday evening, al-Zaydi vowed to press ahead, declaring: "What has taken place in suppressing corruption is only the first phase. The government will continue its anti-corruption drive to recover public funds, and it has a duty to protect the interests of the Iraqi people, with no room for leniency in this responsibility."
Suspicion of politically motivated arrests
The vast majority of those arrested are affiliated with the "Reconstruction and Development" bloc, linked to former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and the Azm Alliance, led by Muthanna al-Samarrai. Several detainees are known to be close to al-Sudani, including an adviser and a cousin of his. In response to the crackdown, al-Sudani positioned himself as a supporter of accountability but warned the public to be wary of "distortions of reality."
Given that the last election's main race for prime minister was between al-Sudani and al-Maliki, unofficial chatter in both public and media circles has increasingly pointed to the possibility of political score-settling lurking behind this crackdown campaign. That said, the arrest of al-Samarrai, a former al-Maliki ally, does somewhat undercut that very suspicion.
However, one thing is clear: Al-Sudani, who in recent parliamentary elections managed to secure seats that put him nearly on top, will face essential challenges in the future elections.
