Zaidi asks public to report hidden corrupt assets for reward

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Sunday called on Iraqis to report public assets and funds obtained through corruption, offering financial rewards to informants under existing law as the government works to recover stolen money.

In a statement from his media office, Zaidi framed the appeal as a religious, moral and national duty and part of the government’s commitment to protecting public funds. He directed authorities to grant informants “a rewarding financial percentage” in line with the law, in recognition of their role in supporting the anti-corruption effort, the statement said. The government said it would later launch a dedicated online platform for citizens to submit information.

The appeal comes less than a week after authorities launched “Dawn Strike,” the operation targeting senior officials and lawmakers that grew out of an investigation into former Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili. Carried out before dawn on June 28 by Counter Terrorism Service units and the army’s 9th Armored Division after days of secret planning, it sealed Baghdad’s Green Zone and brought coordinated raids across the capital under judicial warrants. The inquiry widened after Jumaili’s detention over alleged oil-sector financial irregularities, officials and sources said, producing information that led investigators to dozens more names, while homes and offices were searched for documents and cash and some suspects escaped.

Accounts of the operation’s scale have differed. The state news agency reported 47 current and former officials arrested, while government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi put the number in custody at 21, with others still being pursued. The Federal Integrity Commission, a state body, has confirmed it is carrying out judicial warrants but has not released names or a total. 964media could not independently verify the figures.

Zaidi has called the campaign the first phase of a broader effort, and the government has announced a dedicated treasury account for recovered assets.