Iraqi parliament designates seven corruption cases as part of 'Operation Fajr'

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's parliament said on Saturday that the judiciary's response to requests to lift immunity marked the starting point of its anti-corruption campaign, dubbed "Operation Fajr." In a statement, the legislature called on the government to expand the opening of major corruption cases and the pursuit of those who have plundered public resources. The parliament said corruption has been the state's greatest problem for decades, with reform pledges often failing to deliver concrete results and, in some cases, serving as cover for the looting of public funds. It designated June 28, 2026, as the beginning of a new phase in the fight against corruption, adding that cooperation between parliament and the judiciary was decisive in launching the campaign. Lawmakers identified seven priority sectors for investigation: tax files and the theft of tax deposits; the energy sector, including electricity contracts and investment projects; investment, housing and urban planning; health; transportation; and armaments. Parliamentary oversight committees will monitor the files and forward findings to anti-corruption units, while a special committee will be set up to recover stolen public funds within the constitutional and legal framework. The announcement comes as a broad operation, concentrated in Baghdad and other provinces, has led to the detention of more than 200 suspects, including officials, lawmakers and businessmen.