Parliament Orders Dismissal of Naval Commanders After Kuwaiti Coast Guard Attack on Iraqi Fishermen

Iraqi Parliament's Media Office

A previous session of the Iraqi Parliament.

Iraq's Parliament on Sunday approved a series of recommendations submitted by the Parliamentary Security and Defence Committee in response to the fatal attack on Iraqi fishermen from Basra Governorate by the Kuwaiti Coast Guard.

According to a statement issued by Parliament's Media Office and seen by PUKMEDIA, lawmakers concluded their review of the committee's report into the incident and voted to oblige the government to implement its recommendations.

The report, prepared by the Parliamentary Security and Defence Committee chaired by Khalid al-Obeidi, was based on Article 61 (Second) of the Iraqi Constitution and followed a hearing held on 16 July 2026 with military, security and civilian officials.

The committee concluded that there had been "clear negligence and dereliction of duty" by the Naval Force Command in carrying out its responsibilities and protecting Iraqi citizens within the country's territorial waters.

It held both the Naval Force Command and the Ministry of Defence fully responsible for the incident on 4 July 2026, when the Iraqi fishing vessel Durra came under fire from the Kuwaiti Coast Guard. The attack resulted in the death of fisherman Najm Abdullah Khalid al-Tamimi, injuries to Dhaif Mohammed Salman, and the detention of four other fishermen, who the committee said were also subjected to verbal abuse.

Among the recommendations approved by Parliament was the dismissal of the Commander of the Naval Force, Lieutenant General Mazen Abdulwahid Kiban, the Director of Naval Operations, Brigadier General Wael Abdulmohsen, and the Commander of Umm Qasr Naval Base, Brigadier General Laith Abdul-Sattar. The Ministry of Defence was instructed to appoint replacements on the basis of competence and integrity and to establish investigative committees to examine the alleged failures that contributed to the incident.

Parliament also declared its full solidarity with the affected fishermen and recommended that Najm Abdullah al-Tamimi be recognised as a martyr under the Ministry of Defence's legal framework, entitling his family to the same benefits afforded to the families of fallen military personnel. It further called on the Ministry to cover the medical treatment of the injured fisherman, Dhaif Mohammed Salman, and provide financial and moral compensation to the remaining victims.

On the diplomatic front, Parliament urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to submit a formal protest to Kuwait, citing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to pursue discussions aimed at resolving outstanding maritime issues while ensuring the protection and safety of Iraqi fishermen.

Lawmakers also approved the formation of a joint parliamentary-government committee to oversee efforts to secure the release of the detained fishermen and recover their confiscated vessels. The Ministries of Defence, Interior and Transport were instructed to develop more effective mechanisms for regulating fishing activities and strengthening maritime monitoring and rescue capabilities.

In addition, Parliament issued an urgent summons for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and the Governor of Basra to appear before lawmakers and answer questions regarding the incident and similar previous cases.

The committee's report also commended Major General Hikmat Halim Diya, Commander of the Fourth Border Guard Region at the Ministry of Interior, and Major General Zulfiqar Zaki Kazim, Director of Naval Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence, for their efforts in responding to and investigating the incident.



PUKMEDIA