The Interior Ministry released a statement, saying the radar system of the Coast Guard showed a target which was later discovered to be an Iraqi boat. The boat refused to stop when ordered by the guards, leaving no option but the use of force and the Iraqi sailors returned fire.

Sources disclosed that after the Iraqis were chased down, a senior officer ordered the martyred officer unto the Iraqi boat to conduct a search of the Iraqis as a precautionary measure. He said the Iraqis who were eight in number got hold of the officer, beat him and injured his head, forcing the senior officer to call for reinforcements from the air and naval forces. The boat was sunk after heavy shooting that ensued. Four Iraqis were arrested, while four others were said to be ‘missing’. Al-Enezi was flown to Al-Failaka Hospital in a bid to rescue his life, but he died before anything could be done. Three of the Iraqis were said to have been wounded.

The family of the martyred man was very emotional on the loss of their dear son who was loved by everyone because of his loyalty and sincerity. His uncle Abdullah Al-Kaabi said Abdul-Rahman graduated six months ago from Saad Al-Abdullah Academy and was posted to the Coast Guard department. He added that Al-Enezi died in service to the nation and would be considered a martyr by God. They said the deceased could have survived if he had a bullet proof jacket and called on the Coast Guard to provide proper equipment to officers, so they won’t meet the same fate as their young son.

Another relative Salah Abu Ibrahim said the deceased sacrificed his life for the country at a time he was planning to get married and said the family was searching for a perfect soul mate for him. Sources reported that Abdul-Rahman’s mother, after news filtered in about the incident, called the operations room of the coast guard to ascertain her son was alive and she was given assurance that it wasn’t Abdul Rahman who was killed. The deceased’s brother said his mother is completely devastated, and that the family will sue the Interior Ministry for causing Abdul-Rahman’s death.

There was no immediate official comment from Iraq on the incident, but the head of the fishermen’s association in the southern port city of Basra said three Iraqi fishermen were wounded and four missing.

“A Kuwaiti patrol targeted an Iraqi fishing boat and this resulted in three wounded, two arrested and four missing,” Akeel Abdul Rasul told AFP, adding he had no further information.

Kuwait’s coast guards often seize Iraqi fishing boats and detain Iraqi fishermen for illegal entry into its waters. In October, Kuwait arrested 13 Iraqi fishermen.