Iraqi security forces arrested politicians, lawmakers and senior government officials in Baghdad’s Green Zone early on Sunday, June 28, 2026, according to Reuters. The operation, carried out by Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service, was described by security and legal sources as the start of a broader anti-corruption campaign ordered by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. No official statement on the number or identities of those detained had been issued by the Iraqi government as of Sunday.
Elite Counter-Terrorism Service units raided the homes of politicians and senior officials inside the heavily fortified Green Zone in the early hours of Sunday, three sources told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the operation publicly. The Green Zone, which houses Iraq’s parliament, the Council of Ministers, the judiciary and several foreign embassies, was sealed off from late Saturday until early Sunday morning, according to The National.
Residents and sources inside the district reported seeing Counter-Terrorism Service units moving between private residences of political figures and lawmakers overnight, The National reported. Multiple sources confirmed that several senior politicians, advisers and sitting lawmakers were taken into custody, though they did not provide specific names or a total number of detainees, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing operation.
Some lawmakers among those arrested had parliamentary immunity lifted before the raids, a security source told the Iraqi News Agency, the country’s state-run outlet. Al Jazeera reported that the arrests stemmed from confessions naming additional suspects.
The Sunday operation followed directly from an earlier case. Iraqi judicial authorities issued arrest warrants for the latest round of detentions after the recent arrest of several senior officials, including Adnan al-Jumaili, deputy oil minister for refining affairs, on corruption-related charges, according to Reuters. A senior source quoted by the Iraqi News Agency said some of the new arrests were based on testimony al-Jumaili gave after his own detention.
An unnamed Iraqi official described the prime minister’s intent to The National. “Will not hesitate to pursue those involved in corruption and in the misuse of public funds,” the official said, characterizing al-Zaidi’s position on the campaign.
The Counter-Terrorism Service reports directly to Iraq’s commander-in-chief rather than through standard police channels. The National reported that deploying this force, instead of routine law enforcement, signals the government’s intent to bypass conventional procedures in cases considered high-risk or politically sensitive. Iraqi officials have said previous anti-corruption drives stalled because investigations rarely reached senior political or economic figures, according to the same report.
Regional impact
The arrests target individuals across both the executive and legislative branches of Iraq’s government, according to The National. Because most senior Iraqi officials, lawmakers and political leaders maintain residences or offices inside the Green Zone, the district’s overnight lockdown directly affected the seat of the country’s parliament, Council of Ministers, judiciary and diplomatic missions, Reuters reported. The campaign arrives as Iraq’s new government, formed after al-Zaidi took office on May 16, attempts to address what successive administrations have failed to resolve through repeated but unfulfilled corruption pledges, according to Reuters.
Background
Ali al-Zaidi became Iraq’s prime minister on May 16, 2026, and pledged at the time to confront entrenched corruption, which Reuters described as one of the country’s most persistent governance challenges. Previous Iraqi governments made similar promises without delivering prosecutions that reached senior officials, according to The National. The deputy oil minister’s arrest preceded Sunday’s wider sweep and produced testimony that led to additional warrants, Reuters reported. The Counter-Terrorism Service, an elite unit answering to the commander-in-chief, carried out Sunday’s raids rather than ordinary police units.
What happens next
No government agency had issued a formal statement identifying those arrested or detailing charges as of Sunday, according to Reuters and The National. The Iraqi News Agency reported that some detained lawmakers had their parliamentary immunity formally lifted ahead of their arrest, a procedural step required under Iraqi law before legislators can be charged. Sources told Reuters that judicial authorities had already issued the warrants executed in the operation, indicating legal proceedings are underway. Further details on the scope of the case are expected as Iraqi state media and judicial sources release additional information.
