Kuwaiti patrol injures Iraqi fishermen near Khor Abdullah

Shafaq News- Basra

Kuwaiti authorities on Sunday opened fire, injuring two Iraqi fishermen operating within Iraqi territorial waters near buoy No. 11 in the Khor Abdullah area, the head of the Iraqi Fishermen Association in Basra told Shafaq News.

Badran Al-Tamimi said both men were later transported by Iraqi maritime authorities to the nearest health center.

The Popular Movement Against the Khor Abdullah Agreement condemned the shooting, calling the use of force against civilians unjustified. The group urged the Iraqi government to take a firm and urgent position, including summoning the Kuwaiti ambassador to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

The Khor Abdullah agreement, signed in 2012 between Iraq and Kuwait, regulates navigation and security in the shared waterway that serves as Iraq’s only maritime access to the Gulf, linking key ports such as Umm Qasr and the Grand Al-Faw Port to international shipping routes. Rooted in UN Security Council Resolution 833 (1993), which defined post-Gulf War borders, the agreement remains controversial in Iraq, especially after the Federal Supreme Court ruled its ratification unconstitutional in 2023, reigniting debate over sovereignty, economic interests, and maritime rights.

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