Iraq dismantles 48 human trafficking networks in 2026, ministry says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Interior Ministry said 48 local and international human trafficking networks were dismantled in 2026 as part of nationwide operations carried out by its Anti-Human Trafficking Department. Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Mohammed Ali Hassoun told the Iraqi News Agency that authorities handled 1,344 trafficking cases during the year and arrested 1,012 suspects. The operations, which combined intelligence gathering and preventive investigations, led to the rescue of 94 people before the crime was completed, Hassoun said. He added that investigators identified transnational trafficking rings using modern electronic methods to coordinate their cross-border activity. The ministry said the campaigns were conducted in coordination with the Iraqi judiciary and international partners, in line with government directives. It added that monitoring of the networks would continue, without providing further details on pending cases or upcoming operations.