Bahrain king declares state of emergency after protests

The BBC's Caroline Hawley in Manama says protesters are ready to confront the foreign forces "with their empty hands"

The king of Bahrain has declared a state of emergency, due to start immediately and which will last for three months, state TV has reported.

The announcement follows weeks of unrest in the kingdom.
The nation's armed forces chief has been authorised to take all measures to "protect the safety of the country and its citizens", says the statement from the king.
On Monday, forces from Gulf countries arrived to bolster the regime.
Some 1,000 troops from Saudi Arabia and a further 500 from the United Arab Emirates deployed in Manama at the invitation of the government.
It is believed they are intended to guard key facilities such as oil and gas installations and financial institutions.
The US State Department has urged its citizens to avoid travelling to the country due to the ongoing unrest.
Barricades

  Protesters have tried to barricade roads to prevent riot police from entering

Protesters have blocked all roads leading to the capital's financial centre, the scene of clashes on Sunday.

Protesters have tried to barricade roads to prevent riot police from entering

The protesters are demanding widespread political reforms in the kingdom. Bahrain's Shia Muslim majority has long complained of discrimination and dominance by the Sunni minority, including the ruling royal family.
Iran - the main Shia power in the Gulf - has denounced the use of troops from neighbouring Gulf states in Bahrain as "unacceptable".
"The presence of foreign forces and interference in Bahrain's internal affairs is unacceptable and will further complicate the issue," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast.
In the financial district, demonstrators have built barricades from upturned rubbish bins, says the BBC's Caroline Hawley in Manama, and many are wearing masks to protect themselves from tear gas.
The Shia-led opposition has said that the arrival of Gulf states troops - the first time that any Arab government has called for outside military help during the current wave of protests sweeping the region - is tantamount to a declaration of war.
The troops are part of a deployment by the Gulf Co-operation Council, a six-nation regional grouping which includes Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

source BBC

Posted in: Politics