Kuwait Releases 5 Iraqi Fishermen Who Had Mistakenly Entered its Territories

A view of Kuwait City, Kuwait. (AFP file photo)
A view of Kuwait City, Kuwait. (AFP file photo)
TT

Kuwait Releases 5 Iraqi Fishermen Who Had Mistakenly Entered its Territories

A view of Kuwait City, Kuwait. (AFP file photo)
A view of Kuwait City, Kuwait. (AFP file photo)

Kuwaiti authorities released five Iraqi fishermen who had mistakenly entered its regional waters, reported Iraqi media on Monday.

They were released after being investigated and their identities verified, they added.

The Kuwaiti Coast Guard had arrested the men in the Ras al-Qayd region, where they were fishing, in late April

The incident had sparked tensions with Baghdad, with Iraqi lawmaker Alaa al-Haidari alleging that the Coast Guard had assaulted and tortured the fishermen in the al-Faw region.

He even claimed that one of them had been killed.

Kuwait had condemned his claims, saying they do not reflect the strength of relations between their countries.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Majdi Al-Dhafiri had met Iraqi Ambassador to Kuwait Al-Manhal Al-Safi to protest the remarks.

Al-Dhafiri refuted the Iraqi allegations and underscored the highly trusted integrity of the procedures followed by the Kuwaiti Coast Guard.

He praised the continuous cooperation between the Kuwaiti Coast Guard and Iraqi Navy in dealing with the violations of Iraqi fishermen, who sail in Kuwaiti territorial waters.



GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
TT

GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi welcomed on Wednesday the agreement between the legitimate Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias to de-escalate the situation with regard to the Yemeni banking sector and airlines.

The agreement was announced by the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Tuesday.

Albudaiwi expressed the GCC's support for all regional and international efforts and the efforts led by the UN special envoy aimed at achieving peace and security in Yemen.

The announcement underscores the importance the international community attaches to the Yemeni crisis, he added, hoping the agreement will pave the way for Yemeni parties to start the political process, under UN auspices, to reach a comprehensive political solution that achieves security and stability in the country.

He reiterated the GCC's continued support and full solidarity with Yemen, its government and people, and its keenness to encourage all efforts to de-escalate and maintain stability in order to reach peace.