October 15, 2002	Tuesday	Sha'aban 8, 1423

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 14: The United States forces again came under fire on Monday from two unidentified vehicles in Kuwait, but the units reported no injuries.

The statement said the incident occurred in the morning, when the troops were busy in routine training exercises.

The United States and Kuwaiti forces are currently conducting joint military exercises in the Kuwaiti deserts as per their 1990 accord.

Meanwhile, Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al Sabah has said that an inquiry would be conducted into the firing incident to find out whether it is an act of terrorism or not.

Agencies add: Kuwait and the United States appear to be at odds once again over the latest shooting incident.

The US embassy in Kuwait said American troops training in the desert were shot at from two vehicles, but several Kuwaiti officials said it was probably a group of bird shooters who fired in the air and alarmed the soldiers.

Kuwait said last week’s attack was a “terrorist act” but, so far, it has not issued an official government statement on Monday’s incident. No arrests have been made following the latest incident, sources said.

A non-American Western defence source in Kuwait said Monday’s shooting “appears to us to be bird shooters”.

A senior Kuwait official, casting doubts on the US version, said “this is the bird migration season through Kuwait and many people go to the desert...terrorists would not fire in the air and then go”.

But the US embassy reiterated in a statement:

“Shots were fired from the occupants of two unidentified civilian sports utility vehicles at United States military units near a northern Kuwaiti training area”.

It said there were no injuries and that the ground forces, taking part in the Desert Spring training exercise, did not fire back.