Kuwait has launched one of the most extensive urban enforcement and rehabilitation campaigns in its history, with Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh becoming the focus of a multi-agency operation aimed at tackling decades of accumulated violations, restoring public safety and laying the foundation for the district’s long-term redevelopment.

Describing the area as having reached “the brink of disaster,” First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef said the government had exhausted every available option before deciding on the sweeping intervention.

“The situation in Jleeb had reached a stage where silence was no longer possible,” Sheikh Fahad said in an interview with Arabic dailies. “We tried every possible solution over the years, but the problems only continued to grow. The current campaign is not a choice it is a necessity.”

The minister likened the government’s action to a doctor resorting to cauterization only after all other treatments have failed. “Medicine comes first, but when every treatment fails, the doctor has no option except cauterization. That is where we are today. This campaign is the last remedy after years of unsuccessful attempts to solve the problem.”

Officials say Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh did not reach its current condition overnight. Years of uncontrolled urban growth, illegal construction and weak compliance with municipal regulations gradually transformed the district into one of Kuwait’s most challenging urban areas.

Residential buildings designed for a limited number of families were illegally altered into densely packed labour accommodations, with apartments subdivided into dozens of cramped rooms housing far more occupants than the buildings were intended to accommodate.

These modifications placed enormous pressure on electricity, water and sewage networks while creating dangerous fire hazards and severely compromising building safety.

Authorities also documented widespread municipal, environmental and commercial violations, including illegal markets, unauthorized businesses operating from residential properties, street vendors, encroachments on state land, unsafe warehouses, food safety violations and buildings that failed to meet basic structural and fire safety standards.

Officials said the combination of overcrowding, deteriorating infrastructure and illegal activities had created serious public health concerns while contributing to crime and placing immense pressure on government services.

“The issue is no longer simply about municipal violations,” officials said. “It has become a humanitarian, environmental and security challenge that affects the entire country.”

The campaign has brought together an unprecedented number of government agencies in what officials describe as a whole-of-government response to decades of accumulated problems.

The operation includes personnel from the Ministry of Interior, Kuwait Municipality, the Public Authority for Manpower, Kuwait Fire Force, and the Ministries of Health, Electricity, Water, Commerce and Industry, and Public Works, together with several other government bodies.

Each agency has been assigned specific responsibilities. Municipality teams are inspecting buildings for structural and municipal violations and identifying properties requiring evacuation or demolition. The Public Authority for Manpower is conducting inspections for labour and residency violations.

Health inspectors are examining food establishments, warehouses and sanitation conditions, while the Kuwait Fire Force is assessing buildings that pose significant fire and safety risks. The Ministry of Interior is overseeing security throughout the operation while supporting inspection and enforcement teams.

Officials said the unprecedented coordination reflects the complexity of the problems facing the district and demonstrates the government’s determination to resolve them permanently.

Humanitarian approach to enforcement

Despite the scale of the campaign, authorities insist the operation is being carried out with humanitarian considerations at its core. Buildings identified as unsafe or illegally modified are first inspected and documented before evacuation notices are issued.

Residents are being given sufficient time to relocate before demolition work begins, with relevant government agencies coordinating assistance to families affected by the operation.

Officials stressed that the objective is not to punish residents but to protect lives and restore safe, dignified and lawful living conditions. “We are not targeting people,” Sheikh Fahad emphasized. “We are targeting violations that have endangered residents themselves.”

Authorities say the current campaign marks only the first phase of a much broader plan to transform Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh. Once unsafe buildings, illegal activities and major violations have been addressed, attention will shift toward reorganizing the district in accordance with modern urban planning principles.

Future plans include improving infrastructure, upgrading roads and utilities, enhancing municipal services and creating a healthier residential environment capable of supporting sustainable development.

Officials believe the redevelopment will significantly improve the quality of life for residents while reducing environmental and security risks that have plagued the area for years.

Sheikh Fahad stressed that the government will continue the operation until all its objectives are achieved, reiterating that no area in Kuwait can remain beyond the reach of the law. He said the campaign is about far more than demolishing illegal structures or issuing citations.

“Our objective is to restore order, protect people, improve public safety and ensure that every part of Kuwait is governed by the rule of law,” he said. Officials added that the operation sends a clear message that violations threatening public safety will no longer be tolerated, regardless of location.

They also indicated that similar enforcement campaigns will continue in other parts of the country where serious violations exist, underscoring the government’s commitment to improving urban conditions, safeguarding public health and ensuring that all communities meet Kuwait’s legal and safety standards.

For authorities, the campaign in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh represents more than an enforcement drive it marks the beginning of a long-term effort to reclaim one of Kuwait’s most densely populated districts and transform it into a safer, more organized and sustainable urban community.