Kuwaiti police intensified their crackdown on Islamic militants Monday, storming several suspected hideouts and arresting a reputed terror leader after a shootout that killed five people, authorities said.
The fighting in Mubarak Al Kabir, south of Kuwait City, also left three terror suspects and three police officers wounded, officials said.
The shootout killed four suspects and a civilian, and police detained six people, including the three suspects who were injured, Lt. Col. Adel al-Hashshash of the Interior Ministry told Kuwait Television. It was not known if any suspected insurgents escaped.
One of the three suspects who surrendered during the raid was wanted militant leader Amer Khlaif al-Enezi, authorities said. Al-Enezi is a former mosque preacher described as a mentor to many young militants.
Kuwait, a major U.S. ally, has been battling Islamic fundamentalists deeply opposed to the presence of U.S. forces in their country. The raid was the fourth in the past three weeks and reflected a new sense of urgency in the battle against militants.
Kuwait increased security in December around vital infrastructure, including oil installations, following terror attacks in neighboring Saudi Arabia. Last week, the U.S. and British Embassies warned their citizens to be vigilant for new militant attacks here.
Authorities have arrested more than 25 Kuwaiti and Saudi suspects since Jan. 10.
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Compiled from news services and edited by Patrick Olsen (polsen@tribune.com) and Michael Morgan (mnmorgan@tribune.com)
