'Five militants' killed in Kuwait

Clashes with militants have claimed several lives in January

At least five Islamist militants have been killed in a clash with security forces in Kuwait, state TV reports.

Five police officers are said to have been hurt in the fighting, which was sparked by a raid on a house in the al-Qurain area, south of the capital.

Four suspected militants were reportedly arrested during the operation.

Amer al-Enezi, identified by state TV as an Islamic militant leader, was among those captured.

On Sunday, three suspected militants and one policeman were killed in a shoot-out in Kuwait City, where western embassies have warned of new attacks.

Earlier in January, four people died in clashes between security forces and alleged al-Qaeda-linked militants, opposed to the presence of western civilians and US soldiers in the oil-rich Gulf state.

More than 25 Kuwaiti and Saudi suspects have since been arrested and accused of planning attacks on western targets.

'Intense gunfire'

The fighting in al-Qurain neighbourhood was sparked by a police raid on a suspected safe-house for militants.

Describing the assault as a "spectacular success", Interior Ministry spokesman, Adel al-Hashash, said police were still pursuing militants holed up in several locations in the neighbourhood.

The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry had earlier said "there are several wounded and killed from both parties".

A resident of the area told Reuters news agency of heavy fighting.

"There has been a lot of gunfire. There's been literally thousands of rounds of ammunition fired," James Busko said.

Embassy warning

Three suspected militants and a police officer were killed on Sunday in a similar clash in a residential neighbourhood of Kuwait City popular with foreigners.

US and western embassies have told their citizens to be on guard against attacks.

Kuwait is a major oil producer and US ally.

A military base in the territory serves as a logistics centre for US troops operating in neighbouring Iraq.