The Kuwaiti Army will conduct live-fire shooting at the Al-Abraq range on Wednesday and Thursday, October 7 and 8, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM each day.
According to the announcement made by the Directorate of Moral Guidance and Public Relations via the state media, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the military training exercise will involve troops firing real ammunition at the designated range, so campers, herders, and other desert-goers are advised to stay out of the designated set area to avoid harm while the exercises are under way. Likewise, anyone planning a trip to the western desert should check the dates before heading out.
Key Details
The announcement was made on October 6, to serve as a safety precaution for everyone in the area. The warning was released via a Facebook post by KUNA and with the following information:
- Dates: Wednesday and Thursday, October 7 and 8, 2026
- Hours: 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, both days
- Location: the shooting range in the Al-Abraq area, western Kuwait
Where the Drills will Take Place
The post from KUNA came with a map. It shows the training area marked with a red rectangle labeled “training area” (منطقة التمرين) in western Kuwait, near the Al-Abraq area. Al-Salmi appears to the southwest, close to the border. It sits in the interior of western Kuwait, well inland from the coast and from the Kuwait City side of the map. The rectangle is tilted diagonally with the southwestern end sitting right beside the Al-Abraq area (منطقة الأبرق). It stretches northeast, toward the middle of the country and away from the western border.
Other labels on the map that will help you place the zone, include:
- Al-Abraq area (منطقة الأبرق): just west of the rectangle’s lower end, the area named in the army’s statement.
- Al-Adairaa field (ميدان الأديرع): above and to the left of the rectangle, close to the western border.
- Al-Salmi (السالمي): a border point at the far southwest, where the western boundary meets the southern one.
- Abdali (العبدلي): at the top of the map, in the north.
- Kuwait City, Salmiyah, Failaka, and Bubiyan: along the northeast coast, showing how far the zone lies from the main populated areas.
- Ras Al-Julaia and Ras Al-Zour: along the southern coast.
Safety Reminders
This is not the first of its kind. In the past, the directorate regularly issued advisories ahead of any military exercise through official channels, including its Facebook page, and through state media such as KUNA.
This time, the advisory appeared on Facebook and was picked up by some private online news platforms to serve as a warning for the concerned as:
- Real ammunition can cause serious injury or death if someone is in or near the firing area.
- Desert terrain is open and often unmarked, so it is easy to wander toward a restricted zone without realizing it.
Residents, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other expatriates, are advised to follow these safety reminders as live-fire drills carry real risks if you are caught at the wrong place.
- Do not set up camp in or near the marked area while the drills are on
- Employers with workers stationed in the western desert should confirm whether any site is near the zone
- Share the advisory with friends, family, and colleagues who may be planning desert trips
- Follow official channels for any change to the dates or hours
Note: No change to the schedule had been announced at the time of writing.