Iraqi security forces, including Elite Counter Terrorism Service units, arrested 47 lawmakers and senior officials in overnight raids across Baghdad's Green Zone, acting on warrants issued in an anti-corruption crackdown ordered by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. The operation follows testimony from former deputy oil minister Adnan al-Jumaili, who was detained in May. Authorities recovered approximately $84 million as part of the investigation, with further arrests expected.
Iraqi security forces have dramatically escalated Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's anti-corruption campaign, detaining 47 senior officials, lawmakers, and politicians in a single night of raids across Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. Elite Counter Terrorism Service units were deployed inside the zone as armored vehicles sealed off the capital during the operation.
The arrests follow testimony from former deputy oil minister Adnan al-Jumaili, who was detained in May on corruption charges and who allegedly implicated a wider network of officials. Authorities seized approximately $84 million in cash and assets during the sweep. Several additional suspects reportedly fled before security forces arrived, and the government says further arrests are expected.
As The Zioneer has reported over the past two days, Sunday saw the initial deployment of tanks and artillery at Green Zone gates, followed by helicopter patrols over Baghdad and a sweeping closure of the zone. Monday brought analyst assessments that the crackdown so far has targeted Sunni politicians while leaving Iran-aligned Shia militias untouched — a pattern that will define whether the operation is a genuine anti-corruption drive or a selective political purge. Tonight's figure of 47 detainees, including lawmakers, marks a significant expansion of the scale of the operation.
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