At least five Islamist militants have been killed in a clash with security forces in Kuwait, state TV reports. Five police officers are said to have been hurt in the fighting, which was sparked by a raid on a house in the al-Qurain area, south of the capital. Four suspected militants were reportedly arrested during the operation. Amer al-Enezi, identified by state TV as an Islamic militant leader, was among those captured.
| Here's your preacher, Fred: Among those detained was Amer Khlaif al-Enezi, a former mosque preacher who is the alleged spiritual leader of militants involved in a series of clashes with security forces this month. His brother Nasser was killed in a gunfight with police on Sunday. |
On Sunday, three suspected militants and one policeman were killed in a shoot-out in Kuwait City, where western embassies have warned of new attacks. Earlier in January, four people died in clashes between security forces and alleged al-Qaeda-linked militants, opposed to the presence of western civilians and US soldiers in the oil-rich Gulf state. More than 25 Kuwaiti and Saudi suspects have since been arrested and accused of planning attacks on western targets. The fighting in al-Qurain neighbourhood was sparked by a police raid on a suspected safe-house for militants. Describing the assault as a "spectacular success", Interior Ministry spokesman, Adel al-Hashash, said police were still pursuing militants holed up in several locations in the neighbourhood. The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry had earlier said "there are several wounded and killed from both parties".
A resident of the area told Reuters news agency of heavy fighting. "There has been a lot of gunfire. There's been literally thousands of rounds of ammunition fired," James Busko said.
Three suspected militants and a police officer were killed on Sunday in a similar clash in a residential neighbourhood of Kuwait City popular with foreigners. US and western embassies have told their citizens to be on guard against attacks. Kuwait is a major oil producer and US ally. |