Dozens of illicit camps for the winter season have been set up in the northern desert areas despite a 'postponement' of the start of the camping season. An official manning the Municipality complaint hotline confirmed to Kuwait Times yesterday that camping licenses are still on hold and the season is not open until now. In mid-November, the Municipality announced that the official start of the camping season - and the allocation of licensed camping sites - is postponed "until further notice" due to the rainy weather conditions.

The civil defense committee, in partnership with the defense ministry, the Municipality and other government bodies, warned that the emergence of remnants of military hardware, including landmines and mortars, was the main reason for the delay, as well as the presence of large pools of water and the collapse of some roads leading to campsites.

Despite the declared postponement, dozens of seasonal camps can be found paralleling the highways heading to the Salmi border crossing. The official told Kuwait Times that the Municipality receives hundreds of calls daily asking when the camping season will open, adding that no date has been set till now and they are awaiting confirmation that the weather will remain stable.

Prior to the postponement, the Municipality had identified 18 campsites with an area of 616 sq km in the north, west and south for campers. The municipality requires all campers to register and obtain a camping license and pay a non-refundable fee of KD 50 as well as a deposit. It is prohibited to burn foliage, damage natural life, construct fences, excavate the land, hunt, kill or destroy shelters of species and graze livestock in camping areas.

Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat