Here's what to know about Iraq's corruption as Zaidi launches crackdown
Watchdogs and financial institutions regard Iraq as a significantly corrupt country as the new prime minister works to recover public funds.
International observers rank Iraq among the most corrupt countries in the region, a challenge that complicates Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s latest anti-corruption efforts.
What happened: Zaidi vowed on Monday that the recent arrests in the country are only the beginning of a wider effort to root out Iraq’s endemic corruption.
“The recent offensive against corruption is just a first phase, and the government will continue to combat corruption to recover public funds,” he said, adding that authorities will show “no leniency” on the matter.
State media reported on Sunday that 47 people had been arrested in the corruption probe, with a number of the arrests occurring overnight.
