Kuwait"s Defense Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, who is also the country"s deputy prime minister, on Tuesday issued a decision, for the first time in Kuwait, to allow female citizens to join the military in combat roles. Kuwaiti women will be allowed to enlist in the military in combat roles after years of having been restricted to civilian roles, the army said on Tuesday. The decision issued by the Minister to open the doors for Kuwaiti women to join the military services as non-commissioned, specialty officers and individual officers. The decision is currently limited to the field of medical and military services. The door had been opened for women to join various combat ranks, including as officers, the Kuwait Armed Forces tweeted. "The time has come for Kuwaiti women to be given the opportunity to enter the Kuwaiti military side by side with their brothers," the minister said in remarks carried by state news agency KUNA. He expressed confidence in women"s "capabilities... and their ability to endure hardship". Kuwaiti women earned the right to vote in 2005 and have been active both in Cabinet and parliament — though they did not gain any seats in the current parliament.