Iraq Army Kept 50K Ghost Troops on Books

An investigation into corruption in the Iraqi army has revealed that the service kept 50,000 false names on its payroll. Known in the military as “ghost soldiers,” the troops either did not exist or no longer reported for duty—but their salaries were still paid. A statement from Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s office said the payments have been stopped. A spokesman for the prime minister said the investigation began when the latest salary payments were made. It is thought the salaries were siphoned off by corrupt officers. An unnamed officer told AFP that the roster of 50,000 names include soldiers who had deserted or were killed in recent fighting. Rampant corruption in the Iraqi army is seen as one of the reasons it has struggled to contain ISIS militants. The United States has spent billions of dollars trying to build up the Iraqi army.