ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq on Saturday said it is continuing a probe into an alleged shooting by a Kuwaiti coastguard patrol earlier this month which killed one Iraqi fisherman and injured another, sparking outrage.

In early July, a Kuwaiti coastguard opened fire on an Iraqi fishing boat near the maritime border, killing a fisherman identified as Najm Abdullah Khalid and injuring Thaer Mohammed Salman, both from Basra, while detaining the other three crew members. 

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Saturday directed the foreign ministry, army, and other security agencies in Basra province to continue the probe into the incident.

Hours later, the foreign ministry said: “We are continuing to follow up on the results of the investigations with Kuwait regarding the shooting at the fishing boat and the death of the Iraqi fisherman.”

The fishermen were returned on Thursday following a visit by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein to Kuwait. 

The foreign ministry affirmed “that the responsibility for maintaining the security and safety of Iraqi territorial waters, ensuring the safety of individuals using them for fishing or navigation, and defining safe zones within them, falls under the jurisdiction of the relevant Iraqi authorities, primarily the Iraqi Navy.” 

During a meeting with Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on Thursday, Hussein stressed  “the need to take the necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

In response, Sabah “expressed his deep regret over these incidents and underscored the importance of cooperation and coordination between the competent authorities in both countries to prevent similar incidents in the future.”

The incident sparked outrage among Basra citizens, with groups calling for protests outside the Kuwaiti consulate in the province, claiming that the shooting took place in Iraq’s territorial waters.

On Friday, Basra lawmaker Alaa Al-Haidari called the incident “a blatant disregard for Iraqi blood” and a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty, urging the government to take a stance against Kuwaiti authorities.

“The Iraqi government is obligated to take a firm stance against this crime committed by the Kuwaiti authorities, otherwise we will respond in kind, and the Kuwaiti consul must leave Basra immediately,” Haidari said.