Kurdistan Region hands over multiple corruption suspects to Baghdad

ERBIL, Iraq — Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Reber Ahmed said regional security forces have handed over a number of corruption suspects to federal authorities in Baghdad. Speaking to reporters in Erbil, Ahmed said the transfers were carried out under arrest warrants issued by the Prime Minister's Office and the Federal Anti-Corruption Commission. The minister said those handed over included suspects linked to large sums of cash, gold and assets seized in the Kurdistan Region as part of corruption investigations. He added that cooperation with Baghdad is continuing on the transfer of suspects in corruption, narcotics and counterterrorism cases. Ahmed also referred to a memorandum of understanding signed with the federal Interior Ministry on joint enforcement of traffic fines for vehicles traveling between the Kurdistan Region and other Iraqi cities. He said traffic laws are largely the same across Iraq, with differences limited to certain regulations and penalty amounts, and that the agreement is intended to reduce accidents and violations nationwide.