Manama: Authorities in Kuwait have opened an investigation into the theft of ammunition from a warehouse.

Kuwaiti media on Monday reported that 20,000 M-16 rifle rounds, and 15,000 9mm pistol rounds and an undetermined number of ear protectors had been stolen from the warehouse of the ministry of interior in the Subbiya area, quoting officials from the security media.

Sources said that all the contents of the warehouse had been removed and that three doors had been broken in the theft believed to have occurred on Sunday.

The incident occurred as several lawmakers have been putting pressure on Shaikh Ahmad Al Humood, the interior minister, to boost security levels in the country, mainly after a Shiite mosque was targeted in a pre-dawn attack.

MP Safa Al Hashim said that she was planning to quiz Shaikh Ahmad on the ammunition theft, local Arabic daily Al Watan reported.

Several Kuwaitis from both sects have in a robust show of rare unity condemned the attack on the mosque and called for the prompt apprehension of the perpetrators, accusing them of attempting to divide the country on sectarian lines.

“It is about time we grilled the minister,” said Al Hashim, elected to the parliament in December 2012.