In a continuation of the ongoing anti-corruption crackdown in Iraq, former Saladin province governor Ahmed al-Jubouri, also known as Abu Mazen, was arrested on Saturday in Baghdad. The arrest comes after allegations of embezzling funds from contracts in Saladin province. Al-Jubouri served as governor of Saladin from 2013 to 2014 and later as minister of state for provincial affairs between 2014 and 2015. His business associate, Mohammed al-Hajaf, was also arrested in the same province under similar charges. The exact amount of funds embezzled remains undisclosed. Al-Jubouri currently serves as secretary general of the National Masses Party, which holds three seats in Iraq's parliament and is part of the ruling coalition. This arrest follows the reaffirmation by the State Administration Coalition to continue the anti-graft campaign, supporting Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's efforts against corruption. Al-Jubouri was previously arrested in November 2019 over alleged criminal activity related to the construction of student dormitories at Tikrit University. The renewed focus on corruption comes under increasing United States pressure on Baghdad to tackle graft and disarm Iran-backed armed groups that have targeted US facilities in Iraq. In June, security forces arrested 47 prominent Iraqi politicians, lawmakers, and officials, leading to the seizure of tens of millions of dollars and renewed attention to the longstanding issue of corruption in Iraq.