ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi directed law enforcement agencies and oversight bodies to track down corruption suspects, recover public funds, and strengthen coordination as part of the government’s anti-corruption campaign, his office said on Friday.

Zaidi chaired a meeting attended by senior security and oversight officials to review the government's anti-corruption efforts and improve coordination among state institutions.

During the meeting, Zaidi "directed oversight bodies and law enforcement agencies to coordinate efforts to track down and apprehend perpetrators of corruption crimes, recover public funds, and implement preventative measures," according to a statement from his office.

He also ordered authorities to accelerate intelligence operations targeting economic crime networks and expedite investigations into the embezzlement of public funds.

The directives come days after Iraqi authorities launched Operation Dawn, a sweeping anti-corruption campaign under Zaidi's orders. Security forces entered Baghdad's fortified Green Zone early Sunday, imposed a lockdown, and arrested dozens of senior officials and lawmakers over alleged corruption. The operation has targeted suspects across Iraq, including in the Kurdistan Region.

The Iraqi government has officially confirmed that at least 21 people were detained during Sunday's operation, dubbed Operation Dawn, on corruption charges. Iraqi state media had initially reported that 47 people were arrested.

Those detained include Sunni Azm Alliance leader Muthanna al-Samarrai, former Wasit Governor Mohammed Jamil al-Miyahi, Oil Ministry Undersecretary Ali Ma’arij al-Bahadli, and Ibrahim al-Sumaidaie, a senior adviser to former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani.

Following the arrests, both the Reconstruction and Development Coalition of Sudani and the State of Law Coalition led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki publicly backed the anti-corruption campaign, despite several of those arrested having links to Sudani.