Shafaq News- Baghdad

Kuwait's Coast Guard did not intentionally cause casualties when it opened fire on an Iraqi fishing boat on July 3, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

The assessment was based on a preliminary report submitted by Iraq's embassy in Kuwait on July 5 using information provided by the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry. Kuwaiti authorities later presented video footage of the shooting during a meeting with Iraqi officials, including National Security Adviser Qasim Al-Aboudi and Basra Governor Asaad Al-Eidani.

Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein subsequently directed the relevant authorities and Iraq's diplomatic mission in Kuwait to pursue the case, establish the circumstances of the shooting, and coordinate with their Kuwaiti counterparts.

During an official visit to Kuwait on July 8, Hussein raised the issue with the Kuwaiti leadership, requesting a full account of the shooting, while expressing Baghdad’s “deep concern” and its rejection of any recurrence of incidents that endanger Iraqi citizens and harm bilateral relations.

He also instructed Iraq's embassy in Kuwait to continue monitoring the ongoing investigation and coordinate with the Iraqi Naval Force to obtain further information and its official assessment.

“Responsibility for maintaining the security and safety of Iraq’s territorial waters, ensuring the safety of individuals using them for fishing or navigation, and determining the areas designated for safe navigation and fishing falls within the jurisdiction of the competent Iraqi authorities, foremost among them the Iraqi Naval Force, in accordance with the applicable laws and established mandates,” the ministry stressed.

Earlier this week, the Iraqi fishermen who had been detained in Kuwait returned to Iraq through the Safwan border crossing. The incident sparked public anger in Iraq, with calls for protests on July 12 outside the Kuwaiti Consulate in Basra demanding greater protection for Iraqi fishermen and the expulsion of Kuwait's consul from the province.