A U.S. contractor died in a car crash in Kuwait on the outskirts of Ali Al Salem Air Base on Oct. 27, 2023, a U.S. Army official confirmed Nov. 1. (J.P. Lawrence/Stars and Stripes)

An American contractor who was involved in a car crash with a camel on the road next to Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait has died, according to U.S. military officials.

The victim, who died Oct. 27 and whose name was not released, was an American citizen, an Army official said Wednesday. The official was not authorized to talk about contractors and spoke on condition of anonymity.

A report online by a Kuwaiti newspaper Oct. 27 said a U.S. soldier had died in a car collision with a camel. But no service members were involved in the crash, a statement from Central Command said Thursday.

A spokesman for the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division said the agency was aware of the crash and that local law enforcement had taken charge of the investigation.

The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry and the Kuwait Fire Force did not immediately respond to requests for information.

The U.S. military employs about 21,000 contractors in the Middle East, according to the latest numbers provided in October by the Defense Department.

Of these, slightly less than half are American citizens, the contractor census said.

Contractors are employed mostly in roles such as base upkeep, logistics and construction. Security is listed as the role for about 12% of these contractors.