“Khor Abdullah” Dispute Reignites Basra Protests Amid Growing Public Outcry

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The controversial Khor Abdullah maritime channel agreement has once again ignited protests in Iraq, as hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Basra to voice their categorical rejection of what they described as a “surrender of Iraq’s maritime sovereignty” in favor of Kuwait.

Protesters marched through major streets in the southern oil-rich province, raising slogans rejecting any compromise on Iraq’s land, sea, or air borders. Demonstrators demanded a decisive stance from both the federal and local governments, urging them to distance themselves from media manipulation and disinformation campaigns circulating on social media.

Many of the demonstrators believe that the ratification and activation of the Khor Abdullah agreement would, in their words, “economically suffocate Iraq” by closing its last viable maritime outlet—at a time when nations across the globe are fiercely competing to secure their sea access.

Civil activist Ammar Sarhan Said to Kurdistan24, “We call on the Federal Supreme Court to uphold its decision to annul the Khor Abdullah agreement, and we reject any government action that would hand over maritime maps or compromise Iraq’s rightful share of Gulf waters.”

Participants in the protest asserted that the issue transcends local boundaries and involves intense foreign political pressures influencing decision-making in Baghdad. “We reject that our government and laws be shaped by foreign policies—be it Turkish, Kuwaiti, or even Israeli,” said protester Ahmed Jawad to K24. “There are systematic attempts to pass agreements that harm Iraq’s national interests.”

Demonstrators expressed frustration over what they described as the absence of transparency surrounding the agreement’s content. They insisted the Iraqi people were unaware of the deal’s signing and demanded that all details be publicly disclosed by official authorities.

Mohsen Nasser, another demonstrator, emphasized, “The Khor Abdullah agreement was made under immense pressure, and we cannot accept that the price paid is Iraq’s sovereignty.”

Calls for Government Clarity and Protection of Sovereignty

In a notable escalation, activist Anwar Al-Ukaili warned, “If the government continues this approach, and if the religious authority in Najaf issues a fatwa—as it did during the 2014 fight against ISIS—we are ready to take up arms and defend Iraq’s land and waters by all means necessary.”

Protesters also hinted at the possibility of appealing to international courts to invalidate the agreement and reclaim Iraq’s maritime rights. “Khor Abdullah belonged to Iraq before the establishment of the State of Kuwait,” said several demonstrators, “and any division or agreement made under exceptional circumstances must be reviewed and rejected—both by the people and the state.”

Protests continue not only in Basra but have begun to spread to other Iraqi cities as opposition mounts against the Khor Abdullah maritime deal with Kuwait. Protesters are calling for a clear, unified government position and for the full protection of Iraq’s territorial and maritime sovereignty.

“Selling even an inch of Iraq’s land,” they declared, “will be met with firm rejection and an escalation of popular resistance.”