Basra governor says fisherman killed by Kuwaiti coast guard to receive 'martyr' status

BASRA, Iraq — Basra Governor Asaad al-Aidani met in the Faw district with the family of fisherman Najm al-Tamimi, who was killed when Kuwaiti coast guard opened fire, and said the fisherman's death will be treated as a "martyr" case. The governor said the cause of death was recorded as "gunshot" on the death certificate and that the family would receive all legal entitlements. Al-Aidani said the case would be handled within a legal and humanitarian framework in response to third-party claims, and that measures would be taken to ensure the safety of fishermen operating in the area. Under the decision, al-Tamimi will be granted the same housing and salary rights afforded to recognized martyrs. The killing was protested on Monday in front of the Kuwaiti consulate in Basra. Fishermen who had been held in Kuwait were received at the Safwan border crossing the previous Thursday, along with the body of al-Tamimi and Sair Mohammed Salman, who was seriously wounded. Iraq's Foreign Ministry said Kuwaiti officials shared footage of the incident and argued that the casualties were not intentional.