19 May 2019; MEMO: Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah on Monday evening called on the country’s armed forces to take the highest level of caution amid the “dangerous developments” taking place in the region.
During a visit to the General Presidency of the Kuwaiti National Guard Forces, Al Sabah said: “You are well aware of the serious developments around us in the region that require you to take the highest level of caution while carrying out your duties.”
For his part, Army Chief of Staff Mohammad Al Khader said: “We are always ready to deter all threats and dangers that affect the security and territorial integrity of Kuwait.”
Undersecretary of Kuwait’s National Guard (KNG) Lt-General Hashim Al-Rifai said during the visit that the National Guard forces have officially took over the tasks of securing and protecting oil facilities in the central region.
The US has deployed an aircraft carrier to the Arabian Gulf in a move it says is a means of deterrence following increasing tensions with Iran. The US unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear agreement signed with Tehran and placed the country under “unprecedented sanctions” crippling its economy. Iran has threatened to pull out of aspects of the deal as a result and close the vital Strait of Hormuz, hindering global oil supplies.
