Warrants issued for Iraqi officials suspected of graft

By Haydar Hadi

BAGHDAD

The government has issued arrest warrants for 290 officials suspected of corruption, including several "of ministerial rank", according to Iraq's Integrity Commission, an official anti-graft body on Wednesday.

Commission head Hassan al-Yasiri told a press conference that at least 17 officials "of ministerial rank" were among a total of 290 officials suspected of bribery.

He did not, however, reveal the names of the officials for whom arrest warrants had been issued.

According to Transparency International, a Berlin-based corruption watchdog, Iraq ranks 166th out of 176 countries in terms of government transparency.