Baghdad investigates fatal Kuwait border shooting

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi on Saturday ordered an investigation into the killing of an Iraqi fisherman near the Kuwait border, calling for legal steps to prevent similar incidents and protect Iraqi citizens.

Al-Zaidi instructed the Foreign Ministry, the Army Chief of Staff, and relevant security authorities in southern Basra province to review all details surrounding the incident, while condemning the shooting as unacceptable.

On Friday, Basra lawmaker Alaa Al-Haidari accused Kuwait of killing Iraqi fisherman Najm Abdullah Khalid, injuring another fisherman, and detaining their crew inside Iraqi territorial waters. Describing the incident as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, he called for the Kuwaiti consul in Basra to leave and urged Baghdad to take a firm stance over the incident.

Najm Abdullah Khalid’s body was returned through the Safwan border crossing earlier this week, along with Thaer Mohammed Salman, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head, and three fishermen who had been released, a Basra security source told Shafaq News.

The source added that a Kuwaiti Coast Guard patrol opened fire on the Iraqi fishing boat IFB166 before detaining its crew.

Kuwait has not publicly responded to the accusations or confirmed where the shooting occurred.

Iraq’s High Commission for Human Rights pressed authorities to take immediate steps to protect Iraqi fishermen, calling for a transparent investigation to safeguard the victims’ rights.

Advising workers to remain within authorized waters, avoid disputed areas, and follow instructions from naval forces and border guards, the Commission called for fishing boats to be equipped with modern tracking devices to improve safety and prevent similar incidents.