Abu Dhabi: Following the success achieved by women in the police force, the path has been paved for young Kuwaiti women to join the army, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Kuwati Armed Forces, Major General Dr. Khaled Al Kandari, said , according to local media reports.
“The Kuwaiti army is studying allowing the enlistment of women into all branches, which is likely to take place this year,” Major General Dr. Al Kandari said.
For his part, the Head of the Legal Affairs Branch in the Military Service, Colonel Staff Dr. Fadl Safar, said 10,500 people were standing trial for failing to join the armed forces.
Colonel Safar added the cases registered against them affect their career and academic life, and that most of the penalties for them are financial fines set by the judicial authorities.
He called on parents to enlist their children in the army so that they are not subjected to legal accountability.
With its decision to reinstate mandatory military service in 2017, 16 years after cancelling it, Kuwait became the 11th country in the Arab world to opt for compulsory conscription.
Kuwait thus became the third Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country to embrace the mandatory military service, following Qatar in 2013 and the UAE in 2014.
The three other GCC countries, Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia do not impose the military service on their citizens.
