Iraq Arrests 38 Politicians, Officials in Sweeping Corruption Crackdown
Elite Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service units arrested 38 politicians, lawmakers, and senior government officials during overnight raids inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone as part of a corruption investigation launched after the arrest and reported confessions of former Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili.
The operation, supervised by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, targeted senior political, security, and government figures identified during the investigation. Security forces closed all entrances to the Green Zone at about 2:00 a.m. on Sunday before conducting coordinated raids on the homes of prominent officials.
Security sources also said that authorities raided the headquarters of the Midland Oil Company, south of Baghdad, during the operation.
Following the arrests, videos shared online showed prolonged bursts of gunfire in the area. Military vehicles and tanks were also seen moving through the Green Zone after the operation.
Among those detained were at least five sitting members of Parliament, whose parliamentary immunity had been lifted. Multiple senior security officials and civil servants were also taken into custody. Security sources said several suspects fled before authorities reached them, prompting an expanded search for additional individuals linked to the investigation.
These arrests stem from the detention of al-Jumaili last month. Authorities said his confessions, together with files recovered during al-Jumaili’s detention, allegedly uncovered what investigators described as a large organized network involving corruption, illicit wealth, and abuse of influence.
The overnight operation marked one of the largest coordinated actions against senior officials in the Iraqi capital, according to security sources. The raids focused on locations inside the Green Zone, the heavily secured district that houses key government institutions and official residences.
Authorities have not indicated that the investigation has concluded. The search for suspects who escaped before the raids remains ongoing, while the corruption investigation continues.
The operation included simultaneous actions against political leaders, lawmakers, senior civil servants and security officials identified during the investigation, as authorities continue pursuing individuals allegedly connected to the reported corruption network.