Iraq's National Security Council returns over 93 billion dinars to treasury in first half of 2026

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's National Security Council returned more than 93 billion Iraqi dinars to the state treasury during the first half of 2026, council spokesperson Arshad al-Hakim said at a press conference in Baghdad on Friday. He added that authorities also seized $14 million and 12 billion dinars, which were deposited with the Central Bank of Iraq. Al-Hakim said 40 suspects linked to a banned Baath Party cell were detained along with the network's leaders and members. He added that two cells plotting attacks on political and security figures were dismantled during the period. The council's cyber and technical operations blocked 754 cyberattacks and identified 2,740 accounts deemed to threaten social cohesion, al-Hakim said. In Maysan province, a network accused of manipulating land files was broken up, with 61 suspects arrested and more than 90 forged files and transactions linked to approximately 2 billion dinars in public losses uncovered, according to al-Hakim.