The foreign minister of Kuwait has resigned, reportedly over tensions amidst a graft scandal involving several members of parliament.

According to Agence France-Presse, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah, a senior member of the ruling family and foreign minister since 2003 “submitted his resignation on Monday and did not attend the cabinet meeting.”

Kuwaiti state media said that the current Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ali al-Rashed was appointed as acting foreign minister.

A report in the Al-Anbaa newspaper of Iraq stated: “The minister preferred to resign from a government that does not carry out true reforms regarding the [illegal] multi-million bank deposits [scandal].”

Local media in Kuwait also reported the resignation but did not provide details.

In June of this year, former deputy premier Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah resigned allegedly due to a power struggle with the prime minister, Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Meanwhile, opposition forces are seeking the removal of the Prime Minister and his government. Sheikh Nasser has been in power since 2006.

Last month, the public prosecutor commenced an investigation into the bank accounts of 14 MPs on allegations they received about $350 million in bribes.

Kuwait’s parliament has fifty members.

Opposition MPs, led by Mussallam al-Barrak, has vowed to release classified documents which detail illegal money transfers made by other MPs.

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