News

KUWAIT CITY – Kuwait's parliament speaker has suspended sessions after a fight broke out among Sunni and Shiite lawmakers during a debate about Kuwaitis being held at Guantanamo Bay.

The dispute Wednesday centered on one lawmaker's description of the detainees as terrorists — a characterization others took objection to.

Kuwait's prime minister indirectly referred to the scuffle in a statement on state news agency KUNA that "expressed sorrow at the incident" in the National Assembly.

The prime minister, Sheik Nasser Al Mohammed Al Sabah, called on lawmakers to set aside their differences and focus on national unity.

Kuwait's parliament is among the most politically active in the Arab world, with lawmakers often challenging the ruling Al Sabah family.