Iraqi court issues arrest warrant against former Kurdish army chief

A court in Baghdad has issued an arrest warrant for the former Iraqi army chief of staff, Babakir Zebari, for alleged charges of corruption and misusing public funds, the Iraqi Commission of Integrity said in a statement yesterday.

The commission said the case dates back to when Zebari was still in office and gave seven cars owned by the defence ministry to civilians, without revealing their identities.

The Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider Abadi, referred Zebari – who is Kurdish – to retirement after 12 years in office.

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The arrest warrant against Zebari coincides with security and political tension between Baghdad and Erbil over the Kurdistan referendum on separation from Iraq.

Last week the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council ordered the arrest of Kosrat Rasul, Kurdistan’s Deputy Vice President over statements in which he described the Iraqi federal army and police forces as “occupation forces”.