ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) announced on Friday its dismantling of the “largest land forgery operation” in Iraq's southern Muthanna province along with a network of 61 suspects amid a series of escalating crackdowns on corruption across the country.
“National Security Service detachments in Muthanna province dismantled a network involved in forging and manipulating land plot transactions, records, and real estate registrations,” the INSS posted on Facebook, adding that “the operation resulted in the arrest of 61 suspects, including government employees, lawyers, and real estate agency owners.”
“Investigations revealed more than 90 forged transactions linked to the case, in addition to violations and irregularities that resulted in an estimated waste of 2 billion Iraqi dinars in public funds,” said the security service.
This comes as the INSS has intensified its anti-corruption efforts following the late-June launch of Iraq’s nationwide anti-corruption campaign, Operation Dawn. Ordered by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, in coordination with the Federal Commission of Integrity (FCoI), security forces and judicial bodies have conducted dozens of targeted raids across Baghdad and multiple provinces, arresting over 200 government officials and employees.
Zaidi affirmed on Friday that Iraq is fighting a “war against corruption,” stressing that there will be “no complacency and no retreat in this battle, as it is a battle of honor and protection for Iraq's future and coming generations."
In terms of asset recovery in Operation Dawn, Iraqi authorities have seized hundreds of millions of dollars and hundreds of billions of Iraqi dinars in cash - including a single recovery of $20.34 million linked to former oil officials - along with over 400 kilograms of gold, more than 200 properties, dozens of luxury vehicles, watches, and caches of arms and ammunition.
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