Iraq’s parliament has voted to dismiss three senior defense officials following the fatal shooting of an Iraqi fisherman by Kuwait’s coast guard in disputed waters, as Baghdad moves to strengthen accountability over the incident.
Lawmakers on Sunday approved a parliamentary committee’s recommendation to remove Navy Commander Mazin Kibyan, Director of Operations Wael Abdulmuhsin and First Umm Qasr Navy Unit Commander Layth Abdulstar.
The decision follows the July 3 incident in Iraqi-Kuwaiti waters, where Iraqi fisherman Najim Abdullah Khalid Al-Tamimi was killed after Kuwaiti coast guard personnel opened fire on a fishing boat carrying five fishermen. Four others were detained before later being released, while Al-Tamimi’s body was returned to Iraq six days later.
The shooting has intensified tensions between Baghdad and Kuwait amid long-running disagreements over maritime boundaries in the Gulf.
Parliament also called for a full investigation to identify those responsible, submit the findings to lawmakers and establish a joint committee to secure the release of other Iraqi fishermen facing legal proceedings in Kuwait. Legislators further urged authorities to compensate the affected fishermen and recover boats seized during previous incidents.
The case has sparked public anger in Iraq, particularly in the southern province of Basra, where protesters have demanded justice for the slain fisherman.
Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has instructed the foreign ministry, the army chief of staff and security authorities to investigate the incident and take legal measures to prevent similar cases while protecting Iraqi citizens and their property.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of unresolved maritime border issues between Iraq and Kuwait. Although the two countries signed a border agreement in 2012, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the agreement was invalid because it had not received the required parliamentary approval.
The maritime disagreement resurfaced earlier this year after Iraq submitted new maps to the United Nations. Kuwait, backed by the Gulf Cooperation Council, rejected the claims, saying they encroach on its territory. The two countries have yet to finalize the demarcation of their maritime border.
