Baghdad raids uncover cash and gold hidden in homes and concealed shelters

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Counter-terrorism and anti-corruption units in Baghdad raided homes and hidden shelters as part of "Dawn Surprise," an operation Iraq launched in late June 2026. Search teams recovered U.S. dollar notes and gold bars that had been buried underground and concealed inside walls in place of paper records, according to officials. The raids came ahead of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi's planned visit to Washington in mid-July. The government has framed its drive to consolidate weapons under state control and its anti-corruption campaign as parts of the same effort, officials said. Authorities said the recovered assets were used to finance a network tied to the judiciary, bribery and the silencing of political opponents. The operation is intended to send a signal to investors that the environment is being cleaned up, according to the officials. There have been calls for the seized funds to be redirected to public services, including health and electricity infrastructure. It remained unclear whether the operation would extend to larger corruption figures or withstand political pressure.