The Gulf Arab state is locked in a long-running battle between the government and Parliament, which regularly challenges authority.

News agency KUNA did not give a reason for the resignation.

Rashed, who is also the Kuwait government’s spokesperson, declined to comment.

Earlier on Tuesday, Al-Watan and Al-Anbaa daily newspapers said that Sheikh Mohammad failed to attend the weekly cabinet meeting on Monday, a day after he missed an Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo to discuss the situation in Syria.