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]
June 17, 1976: The
Al-Anba newspaper building was bombed. editorial offices were destroyed. Five people, including the editor-in-chief, were wounded.[2]
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.
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]