Terrorism in Kuwait

Kuwait has experienced various terror attacks, including those carried out by ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other acts of Islamic terrorism. Various terror attacks in Kuwait were associated with the Iran-Iraq War, Gulf War, and the subsequent American military support in Kuwait.

Kuwait currently has the largest US military presence in the entire Middle East region.[1] There are over 14,000 US military personnel stationed in the country.[1]

1970s

1980s

  • December 1983 - 1983 Kuwait Bombing were attacks on six key installations in Kuwait.
  • April 1985 - Ahmed Al-Jarallah was subjected to an assassination attempt when a gunman opened fire on him outside his offices. He was shot six times.[3][4][5][6]
  • May 1985 - A failed assassination attempt was made on Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah, who was the emir of Kuwait at the time.
  • July 1985 - 1985 Kuwait City bombings in which two coffeehouses were bombed.
  • January 1987 - Bomb exploded in a shopping district on the eve of the Organization of Islamic Conference meeting.[7]
  • July 1987 - Car bombs exploded in a fashionable shopping district, killing two people and blowing the facades off several stores.[7]
  • 1984-1988 Aircraft hijackings

1990s

Several terror attacks associated with the Gulf War and an assassination attempt on actor Abdulhussain Abdulredha for an anti-Iraq theatrical play.[8]

Smoke from burning Kuwait oil fields after Saddam Hussein set fire to during Gulf war.

2000s

  • October 8, 2002 - Failaka Island attack, in which two Kuwaiti citizens with ties to jihadists in Afghanistan attacked a group of unarmed United States Marines conducting a training exercise on Failaka island, killing one before being killed themselves.[9]
  • October 10, 2002 - Two gunmen with ties to Al-Qaeda open fire on an American Humvee.[10]
  • November 21, 2002 - Two American contractors with Tapestry Corporation were wounded while driving a civilian vehicle when a Kuwaiti police sergeant opened fire at them at close range.
  • January 31, 2005 - Kuwait Police infiltrate a terrorist cell belonging to the Peninsula Lions in a Salmiya apartment complex. Five terrorist members and a civilian bystander were killed.
  • August 11, 2009 - Kuwaiti authorities reported that they had arrested six individuals accused of planning attacks on U.S. troops stationed at Camp Arifjan. The six men allegedly belong to a terrorist group with ties to Al-Qaeda.
  • December 11, 2003 - Ahmed Al-Jarallah's secretary at Al-Seyassah was injured when he opened a large envelope addressed to Jarallah, sent from Beirut, Lebanon. The envelope bomb contained the plastic explosive Semtex.[11][12][13]

2010s

  • June 26, 2015 - 2015 Kuwait mosque bombing - A bombing occurred during Friday prayer at masjid Imam al-Sadeq when a man was seen on surveillance cameras rushing into the masjid and then detonating himself. 27 people killed with 227 injured. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the bombing.[14] It was the largest terror attack in Kuwait's history.
  • August 13, 2015 - Kuwaiti security forces arrested Al-Abdali terror cell belonging to Iran and Hezbollah.[15][16]
  • 2017 - No terrorist incidents were reported in Kuwait in 2017, despite various attempts by ISIS.[17]

2020s

  • January 25, 2024 - Kuwaiti security forces arrested 3 Tunisians over ISIS terrorist plot to bomb Shiite places of worship.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b "Factbox: U.S. forces in Gulf region and Iraq". 8 January 2020.
  2. ^ "حدث في مثل هذا اليوم في الكويت". kuna.
  3. ^ Seale, Patrick. Abu Nidal: a gun for hire. Random House, 1992. p. 130
  4. ^ CIA Terrorism Review (U). Directorate of Intelligence. 5/6/1985. p.33. Declassified document.
  5. ^ Najeeb Al-Wagayan, Sabah al-Shemmari. Major Political Crimes in Kuwait. 1997. p. 203
  6. ^ Melman, Yossi. The master terrorist: the true story of Abu-Nidal. p. 206. Adama Books, 1986
  7. ^ a b "Car Bomb Kills 2 in Kuwait". Associated Press News. 15 July 1987. Archived from the original on 2021-03-07.
  8. ^ Jeff Dunham captain of artists and media
  9. ^ "US marine shot dead in Kuwait". TheGuardian.com. 9 October 2002.
  10. ^ Schmitt, Eric (2002-10-09). "U.S. Marine Is Killed in Kuwait As Gunmen Strike Training Site". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  11. ^ Attacks on the Press in 2003 - Kuwait. The UN Refugee Agency.
  12. ^ KUWAIT: Letter bomb injures editor's secretary. 11 December 2003
  13. ^ "More Letter Bomb Attacks on Kuwaiti Writers". Mailroom Safety News. December 15, 2003
  14. ^ Hubbard, Ben (26 June 2015). "Terrorist Attacks in France, Tunisia and Kuwait Kill Dozens". The New York Times.
  15. ^ "Kuwait uncovers 'terror' cell's giant arms cache". Aljazeera.
  16. ^ Toumi, Habib; Chief, Bureau (12 August 2017). "Kuwait re-arrests 12 convicts". gulf news. {{cite web}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ "Country Reports on Terrorism 2017 - Kuwait". Refworld. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  18. ^ "Kuwait Thwarts Terrorist Plot Targeting Shiite Places Of Worship - 3 Tunisians Arrested - ARAB TIMES - KUWAIT NEWS". www.arabtimesonline.com. 2024-01-25. Retrieved 2024-01-28.