As Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's government continues its anti-corruption campaign targeting the Ministry of Oil, Hassan al-Kurdi has emerged as a central figure following reports of his departure from Iraq shortly after the arrest of a senior ministry official on corruption charges.

Hassan al-Kurdi Emerges in the Oil Corruption Investigation

Hassan al-Kurdi has become a major focus of Iraqi political and media attention following reports that he crossed into Turkey through the Ibrahim al-Khalil border crossing just hours after the arrest of Adnan al-Jumaili, the Ministry of Oil's undersecretary.

Al-Jumaili was detained on corruption charges linked to oil contracts valued at more than one trillion Iraqi dinars.

Role in Managing Oil Contract Finances

According to intelligence reports, al-Kurdi was responsible for managing the financial files of oil refinery contracts.

He also served as the economic representative of a Sunni political party and was a close business associate of al-Jumaili across several financial portfolios.

Reports further state that he maintained close ties with the economic committees of several ruling political parties.

Reports indicate that al-Kurdi acted as the key link connecting multiple corruption networks to al-Jumaili.

According to those reports, his role extended beyond what has publicly been attributed to al-Jumaili, and observers believe his arrest could reveal extensive details about the broader corruption network.

On June 5, an Iraqi court issued arrest warrants for Hassan Abdullah Najjar, widely known as Hassan al-Kurdi, and his brother, Mohammed Abdullah Najjar, on corruption charges related to oil refinery contracts.

The warrants have also been forwarded to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).

Who Is Hassan al-Kurdi?

Born in 1993, Hassan al-Kurdi is reported to have overseen an extensive network involved in contract management and political financing.

According to the reports, he financed election campaigns and provided financial support to political figures from Iraq's Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish communities.

Reports further claim that while al-Jumaili represents one part of the broader corruption case, al-Kurdi served as the principal channel for distributing funds.

According to those reports, his arrest could expose extensive information about illicit financial networks and the distribution of funds among political factions.

According to intelligence reports, the relationship between al-Kurdi and al-Jumaili began after al-Jumaili became Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil.

During that period, reports claim al-Kurdi secured several influential positions, including the post of Director of North Refineries and other refinery leadership positions.

Alleged Contract Arrangement

According to the reports, an agreement was reached to award oil storage facility projects directly to al-Kurdi.

The projects were then transferred from the Ministry of Oil to the Ministry of Industry and Minerals before being subcontracted to state-owned companies.

The reports allege that officials involved received portions of the contract funds, with individual contracts valued between 14 and 15 billion Iraqi dinars.

Accordingly, this process was intended to circumvent legal requirements that major state energy contracts be awarded to the private sector through competitive bidding.

Reports of Flight to France

Mustafa Sanad wrote on his official Facebook account that the head of the economic committee associated with al-Jumaili fled Iraq with his brother and later traveled to France.

According to Sanad, the two brothers left the country with $500 million.

He added that Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi remains committed to pursuing the case through international legal and judicial channels to secure the extradition of the two brothers and recover the allegedly stolen public funds.