8 Kuwait fishermen arrested in Iraq

Iraqi authorities yesterday arrested eight Kuwaiti fishermen who were caught hunting desert birds at Iraq’s southern city of Samawah, security sources reported.

The arrest came a day after the governor of Iraq’s Muthanna province, Faleh Al-Ziadi, ordered the security forces to arrest all Arab fishermen in the province.

He accused the Kuwaiti fishermen of “violating an Iraqi government decision which bans hunting activities in general.”

Army commander, Major General Marwan Kamel, said that the Kuwaitis are in a temporary location under the custody of the army pending their appearance in court.

Read: Iraq offers oil and gas blocks for exploration

Almost two years ago, Iraq announced a decision to prevent fishing activities in the southern area after the abduction of Qatari fishermen in 2015.

In December 2015, 26 Qatari fishermen, including members of the Qatari ruling family, were kidnapped by a 100-strong militant convoy along the border with Saudi Arabia. They were released in April after “secret negotiations” by a Qatari delegation.