US military investigating traffic incident in which Kuwaiti claims Americans opened fire

updated 10:44 a.m. ET May 7, 2008

KUWAIT CITY - The U.S. military in Kuwait says it's investigating a traffic dispute between American soldiers and a Kuwaiti motorist claiming the troops fired shots during the wrangle.

The military says the soldiers were traveling in Kuwait City when the incident occurred Monday evening. In a statement released Wednesday, the military described it as a scuffle near a shopping mall in which no one was injured. It added that the soldiers deny firing shots.

Kuwaiti authorities are also investigating.

Col. Thomas Nickerson, senior public affairs officer for U.S. Army Central, says American troops stationed in Kuwait "cherish" their relationship with the Kuwaiti people.

Kuwait has been a major Washington ally since the 1991 Gulf War that liberated it from Iraqi occupation.

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