KUWAIT CITY, Jan 23: The Higher Committee for the Investigation of Kuwaiti Nationality has uncovered a significant forgery case involving two Syrian brothers who were fraudulently added to the nationality file of a deceased Kuwaiti citizen. The brothers, born in the 1950s, initially posed as relatives of a naturalized Kuwaiti citizen but were found to hold Syrian nationality.

The investigation revealed that the two brothers, who previously worked in the oil sector, fled Kuwait upon learning that their forgery had been exposed. Their wives, also Syrian nationals, had obtained Kuwaiti citizenship under Article 8, further complicating the case. The fraudulent additions have extended across generations, with the citizenship status of 80 individuals—comprising sons, daughters, and grandchildren—now under review for revocation. Specifically, 55 cases relate to the first brother, while 25 involve the second.

Authorities summoned the sons of the original nationality file holder for DNA testing. The results confirmed that the two Syrian brothers were not biologically related to them. During questioning, the sons admitted that the two fugitives had been illegitimately added to their late father’s citizenship file, thereby exposing the forgery.

The findings have triggered legal action to revoke Kuwaiti citizenship from all implicated individuals, marking a significant step in safeguarding the integrity of the country’s national identity system. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of the Higher Committee to address nationality fraud and uphold the law.