Kabal (earthworks)

A kabal is a U.S. military construction consisting of a 2.6-square-kilometre (1 sq mi) patch of desert, with 3-metre-tall (10 ft) berms bulldozed to form perimeter earthworks.

The Kuwaiti government has cordoned off the northern part of its country, an area of more than 4,100 square kilometres (1,600 sq mi) out of 18,000 square kilometres (6,900 sq mi), where American military and coalition forces are based and are conducting training.

Soldiers assigned to these remote sites must maintain 24-hour operations as units are close to the Iraqi border.

Establishing kabals is manpower- and supply-intensive, requiring many convoys of Class IV (construction and barrier materiel) and contracted items.

Kabals were established shortly after Operation Desert Storm as part of a U.S. mission to protect Kuwait with a battle-ready battalion and to train service members for possible future wars against Iraq.