The killing of an Iraqi fisherman by Kuwait’s coast guard in disputed waters has reignited a longstanding border dispute between Baghdad and Kuwait City.
The incident occurred in the early hours of July 4, when Kuwait’s coast guard opened fire on a group of Iraqi fishermen in the Khor Abdullah waterway, killing one fisherman and detaining several others.
The fallout quickly spread to the southern Iraqi city of Basra, where protesters gathered outside the Kuwaiti consulate. Some attempted to storm the compound and lower the Kuwaiti flag before Iraqi security forces intervened.
Iraqi lawmakers and other political figures called on the government to take action to defend the rights of Iraqi fishermen, while Iraqi authorities said they were pursuing the case through official channels and remained committed to protecting diplomatic missions in the country.
On Monday, Kuwait condemned what it described as attacks on its consulate in Basra, calling them “an unacceptable violation of the inviolability of the consulate.” It urged Iraqi authorities to take immediate measures to hold those responsible accountable and prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Although both governments moved to contain the escalation, the speed with which the maritime incident evolved into a political crisis underscored how easily the Khor Abdullah issue can resurface amid continuing legal and political disagreements between the two countries.
The dispute dates back to 1993, about two years after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait ended, when an international commission, acting under U.N. Security Council Resolution 833, demarcated the land and maritime border between the two countries, including the Khor Abdullah area, despite Iraqi objections at the time.
In November 2013, Iraq ratified an agreement regulating navigation in the waterway. However, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the ratification was unconstitutional, saying international treaties require the approval of a two-thirds majority in parliament.
Iraqi writer Ghalib Al-Shabandar told MBN that the court’s ruling reopened the issue and that Iraq’s subsequent move at the United Nations raised concerns in Kuwait, prompting it to closely monitor developments in Iraq.
Earlier this year, the Iraqi government deposited maps of its maritime boundaries with the United Nations. Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said the submission was based on the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which both countries have ratified and included lists of geographic coordinates and an explanatory map.
Kuwait viewed the move as an unjustified infringement on its sovereignty and summoned Iraq’s chargé d’affaires to deliver a formal protest.
By contrast, Kuwaiti political writer Qais Al-Asta said the Khor Abdullah issue had already been settled through U.N. Security Council Resolution 833 and subsequent regulatory agreements, arguing that reopening the matter would only increase tensions between the two countries.
The dispute resurfaced about three weeks ago during last month’s Meeting of States Parties to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, when Kuwait expressed concern over what it described as unilateral Iraqi measures regarding the navigation agreement in Khor Abdullah and Iraq’s cancellation of a 2008 security exchange protocol.
Al-Shabandar said Baghdad believes some aspects of the issue remain unresolved and has called for them to be discussed under international supervision, while Kuwait maintains that the border and the rights associated with it were conclusively settled by previous resolutions and agreements.
Al-Asta linked the renewed debate to the growing influence of armed factions in Iraq and recent security pressures. He said the issue is being used for political purposes inside Iraq, particularly by groups that frame it as a matter of national dignity and an opportunity to revisit the border arrangements.
On Monday, Kuwait accused Iran and Iraqi militias aligned with Tehran of carrying out attacks targeting border facilities and an offshore drilling platform operated by Kuwait Oil Company, saying the strikes caused injuries and material damage. Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry described the attacks as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
An Iraqi official, who spoke to MBN on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said the dispute extends beyond questions of sovereignty to include economic considerations related to securing trade routes and access to ports, as Iraq seeks to strengthen its role as an international trade corridor.
Iraqi political analyst Iyad Al-Anbar, however, said Baghdad’s official response has remained limited to pursuing the investigation into the fisherman’s death, without expanding the dispute to include broader border issues or the Khor Abdullah d question.
He added that the issue is not currently under formal discussion in either parliament or the Foreign Ministry. However, some political factions revive it whenever tensions with Kuwait increase, taking advantage of its sensitivity among the Iraqi public and its political appeal.
During a visit to Kuwait on July 8, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed the fisherman’s case with Kuwaiti officials.
According to Iraq’s Foreign Ministry, the Kuwaiti side presented video footage of the incident, saying it occurred at night and that the coast guard did not intentionally cause the casualties that resulted.
Hussein stressed the need to establish clearer coordination and communication mechanisms between the relevant authorities in both countries to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
Adapted and translated from the original Arabic.
