KUWAIT: In response to a British warning Saturday of "likely attacks in Kuwait", Kuwait's Foreign Ministry assured the warnings are a routine measure and issued not for Kuwait, only but for the Middle East and most of European countries. In an advisory, Britain had warned its nationals travelling to Kuwait that attacks in Kuwait are "very likely", adding they should "take care" if they plan to travel in "conservative" areas like Jahra and Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh. It advised Britons in Kuwait to "be vigilant at all times, particularly in crowded places popular with foreign nationals, and take additional security precautions".

In a statement to KUNA, Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Waleed Al-Khubaizi said the foreign ministry has contacted the interior ministry to learn if there is anything justified in this warning from the British Foreign Office. "They have affirmed that they did not receive any warnings or information from the relevant British bodies about the likelihood of security threats," Khubaizi told KUNA.

He stressed that the ministry closely followed up the warning published on the British Foreign Office website and contacted the UK Embassy in Kuwait to ask about the warning. He said British diplomats have promised to convey the Kuwaiti inquiries to relevant bodies in the UK. Similar warnings have been issued by the British Foreign Office for most regional countries, so it was a routine action, he said, adding that Kuwait is still waiting for an official reply from the British side.

The British Embassy in Kuwait said no warning for traveling to any Gulf states including Kuwait has been issued. The embassy is confident of Kuwait's interior ministry's ability to maintain security, it said in a statement. This warning is not uncommon, and is the result of British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's promise to the parliament to revise the ministry's travel advisories to all countries. - KUNA