Warrants issued for Iraqi officials suspected of graft

By Haydar Hadi

BAGHDAD (AA) - 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.