Two Killed as Bahrain's King Declares Martial Law
THE GUARDIAN: Government-backed security forces clash with Shia demonstrators in the capital city, Manama

The sectarian standoff between Bahrain's Shia majority and its Sunni elite deteriorated further on Tuesday when the king declared martial law and security forces clashed violently with protesters throughout the capital, Manama.

At least two people were killed in fighting between the civilian protesters and government-backed security forces that included Saudi soldiers invited into the kingdom on Sunday.

Hospitals were again teeming with wounded demonstrators in scenes reminiscent of earlier clashes in February, that severely tested the legitimacy of the US-backed government.

Soldiers were active in numerous areas that had been flashpoints in past clashes. Doctors and medical staff reported that troops had taken over a medical centre in the Sitra area and, in some cases, prevented them from tending to casualties. Doctors in the medical centre claimed they were being prevented from leaving by troops stationed outside.

"They are shooting at us, they are shooting," one doctor told the Guardian. "Get help, get the international community to help."

Up to 200 people were reported to have been treated at some point during the day, which is being seen as the start of a new phase in the increasingly bitter clashes that are steadily gaining a regional dimension in the Gulf.

Bahrain withdrew its ambassador to Tehran in protest at a warning from the Iranian foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, to the kingdom not to harm demonstrators, almost all of whom are Shias. Meanwhile, the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia said they felt obliged to intervene, claiming that continuing unrest in Bahrain could threaten them. » | Martin Chulow | Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Bahrain Declares Martial Law as Protesters Clash with Troops
THE GUARDIAN: Kingdom's rulers tell police and army to take all measures against uprising but deny Saudi soldier was killed

The streets of Bahrain's capital, Manama, have again erupted in violence as the kingdom's besieged monarch declared martial law and ordered troops - including Saudi forces - to take all measures to quell a festering rebellion.

The clashes had been anticipated since more than 1,000 troops from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states arrived in Bahrain on Sunday, after being invited by the ruling dynasty to help restore order.

Demonstrators and security forces faced off from mid-morning in the Sitra area on the outskirts of Manama. Bystanders reported the sound of gunfire and the scent of teargas by early afternoon, followed by the familiar cacophony of ambulance sirens as they sped casualties towards the city's two main hospitals.

By late afternoon, there were numerous reports of clashes inside Shia villages throughout Manama that had led to dozens of injuries.

At least nine people were admitted to hospital with moderate to serious injuries. Hospital officials reported that two victims had what appeared to be gunshot wounds. Many more appeared to be unconscious as they were wheeled into wards amid chaotic scenes. » | Martin Chulov | Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Related material here and here

'Brutal Attacks' Alleged in Bahrain
The king of Bahrain has declared a state of emergency across the country for three months. Local police are now being backed up by 1,000 Saudi troops, who entered the country on Monday following weeks of political unrest.
Among those wounded in violent protests are undercover police found in the Shia areas of Bahrain, where hospital staffers are overwhelmed by the influx of the injured.
Al Jazeera's correspondent sent this report from a hospital in the capital, Manama

Saudi Arabia Polices the Region as Trouble Stirs at Home
THE GUARDIAN: The Saudi regime is stepping up its regional security role, but it is clear that it is not immune from 'contagion'

Saudi Arabia's decision to send troops into Bahrain to help stabilise the country following violent anti-government demonstrations marks another stage in Riyadh's reluctant emergence as a regional policeman at a time when the Arab world faces unprecedented turmoil.

The Saudi move, requested by Bahrain's embattled Sunni Muslim royal family, is motivated primarily by self-interest. If Bahrain, with its majority Shia population, succumbed to an Egyptian-style popular uprising then the regime in Riyadh would fear, rightly, that its oil-rich eastern province, where many Shia live, might be next.

But Saudi actions are also influenced by larger geostrategic considerations. One is Riyadh's close military and economic alliance with the US – its defender of last resort – which in effect embraces Bahrain, home to the US fifth fleet. The move by the Gulf Cooperation Council will not have come without prior consultation with Washington.
Another crucial consideration is Riyadh's intensifying rivalry with Iran, which has powerful political and religious aspects (Iran is majority Shia Muslim, Saudi Arabia is majority Sunni).

The developments in Bahrain follow stepped-up Saudi involvement in other regional flashpoints. They include Lebanon, where King Abdullah tried unsuccessfully last year to persuade Syria and Iranian-sponsored Hezbollah to take a less confrontational line; and Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has supported the government of Ali Abdullah Saleh, an American ally, against Iranian-backed rebels and al-Qaida infiltrators.

The Saudis have also been actively involved, with the Obama administration, in international efforts to forge an Israel-Palestine settlement, another regional running sore exploited by Iran. The Saudi peace plan of 2002 remains the most likely basis for ending the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Saudi efforts to keep a lid on unrest in the region extend to Oman – like Bahrain, a relatively poor country that acts as a base for the US military. Read on and comment » | Simon Tisdall | Monday, March 14, 2011

Saudi Arabian Troops Sent to Bahrain as Protests Escalate
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: More than 1,000 Saudi Arabian troops have been deployed in Bahrain, following fresh protests over the weekend that pitted protesters from the tiny Gulf monarchy's Shia majority against riot police.

Local residents say they saw Saudi troops driving across the causeway that links the two countries early on Monday.

There was no official comment on the presence of the troops, but a Saudi official said "the force will work under the directions of the Bahraini government and protect vital facilities like oil and power."

The opposition Wefaq movement, however, described the presence of the troops as "an undeclared war" and "a blatant occupation."

Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain's crown prince offered opposition groups a dialogue on Sunday, but added that "right to security and stability transcends any other consideration." Prince Salman's offer came after protesters after barricaded a road leading into its financial district on Sunday, a working day in the Kingdom, sparking off a two-hour street battle with police.

The clashes were the worst since February 17, when seven protesters were shot dead by police The protests broke out soon after Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, met Bahrain's king to persuade him to undertake reforms Washington believes are necessary to prevent Iran from capitalising on the arrest. » | Diplomatic Editor | Monday, March 14, 2011

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Saudi Troops Enter Bahrain
THE AUSTRALIAN: MORE than 1000 Saudi troops, part of the Gulf countries' Peninsula Shield Force, have entered Bahrain where anti-regime protests have raged for a month, a Saudi official said.

The troops entered the strategic Gulf kingdom on Sunday, the official said, requesting anonymity.

The intervention came "after repeated calls by the (Bahraini) government for dialogue, which went unanswered" by the opposition, the official said.

According to the regulations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, "any Gulf force entering a member state becomes under the command of the government," the official added. >>> AFP | Monday, March 14, 2011

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THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Bahrain protests intensify as Foreign Office advises against travel to country: Thousands of anti-government demonstrators cut off Bahrain’s financial center and drove back police trying to push them from the Pearl Square in the most disruptive protests since calls for more freedom erupted a month ago. >>> | Monday, March 14, 2011

Saudi Arabian Forces Prepare to Enter Bahrain after Day of Clashes
THE GUARDIAN: Crown Prince of Bahrain expected to invite Saudi support following anti-government demonstrations in capital

Saudi forces are preparing to intervene in neighbouring Bahrain, after a day of clashes between police and protesters who mounted the most serious challenge to the island's royal family since demonstrations began a month ago.

The Crown Prince of Bahrain is expected to formally invite security forces from Saudi Arabia into his country today, as part of a request for support from other members of the six-member Gulf Co-operation Council.

Thousands of demonstrators on Sunday cut off Bahrain's financial centre and drove back police trying to eject them from the capital's central square, while protesters also clashed with government supporters on the campus of the main university.

Amid the revolt Bahrain also faces a potential sectarian conflict between the ruling minority of Sunnis Muslims and a majority of Shia Muslims, around 70% of the kingdom's 525,000 residents.

The crown prince, Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, said in a televised statement that Bahrain had "witnessed tragic events" during a month of unprecedented political unrest.

Warning that "the right to security and safety is above all else", he added: "Any legitimate claims must not be made at the expanse of security and stability."

The crown prince has also promised that national dialogue would look at increasing the power of Bahrain's parliament, and that any deal could be put to nationwide referendum.

However, some protesters have pressed their demands further to call for the toppling of the Sunni dynasty. >>> Ben Quinn | Monday, March 14, 2011

Bahrain Erupts in Violence
Police fire tear gas to disperse crowds in Bahrain as violence erupts. Deborah Lutterbeck reports

More Than 800 Injured in Bahrain Political Clashes
USA TODAY: MANAMA, Bahrain — Hundreds of people were injured in violent clashes Sunday between protesters and armed civilians backed by police in this small island nation.

The latest violence came after a month of protests led by the Shiite majority to demand sweeping political reforms and possibly the ouster of the nation's Western-allied Sunni monarchy.

The government's Ministry of Interior said in a statement that protest camp tents from near the harbor were "removed." The statement said attempts by uniformed police officers to persuade the protesters to re-open a road reached an impasse and that a group of protesters attacked unarmed police officers.

Police then sought to disperse approximately 350 protesters by using tear gas in order to clear the road, the statement said. >>> Nada Alwadi, USA TODAY | Sunday, March 13, 2011

Saudi Troops Intervene in Bahrain, Reports Say
TEHRAN TIMES: MANAMA – There are reports that Saudi Arabian troops have entered Bahrain to help put down the worst unrest in the country since the 1990s, BBC Arabic said on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, thousands of anti-Khalifa-regime protesters cut off Bahrain’s financial center and drove back police trying to push them from the capital’s central square -- shaking the tiny island kingdom with the most disruptive demonstrations since the calls for more freedom began a month ago. 



Demonstrators also took on King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa’s security forces and his supporters on the campus of the country’s main university. 



Riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the demonstrators and surrounded the protesters’ main camp in Manama, AP reported. 



However, the authorities failed to dislodge the thousands of protesters blocking King Faisal Highway in Manama, who were demanding a greater political voice in the strategic Persian Gulf kingdom, the home of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. >>> Staff and agencies | Monday, March 14, 2011

White House Chides Yemen, Bahrain Governments for Violence
REUTERS: The White House chided U.S. allies Yemen and Bahrain on Sunday for violence used against protesters in those countries and urged both to exercise restraint.

"We urge the governments of these countries to show restraint, and to respect the universal rights of their people," the White House said in a statement.

"We urge the government of Bahrain to pursue a peaceful and meaningful dialogue with the opposition rather than resorting to the use of force."

One person died and scores were hurt on Sunday when Yemeni police fired live rounds and tear gas at protesters in Sanaa demanding an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule, according to medical sources. >>> Reuters | WASHINGTON | Sunday, March 13, 2011

Related material here and here

Protesters Seal Off Bahrain’s Financial Center
THE NEW YORK TIMES: CAIRO — Thousands of antigovernment protesters in Bahrain blocked access to the financial district in Manama, the capital, on Sunday, preventing many workers from getting to their offices and pushing back the police who tried to disperse them. It was the most serious challenge to the royal family that rules Bahrain since protests began last month.
Witnesses said the police used tear gas and fired on the protesters with rubber bullets.

“This was a very, very big day,” Mohammad al-Maskati, president of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, said by telephone from Pearl Square, the epicenter for protests in central Manama. “Now the protesters control these streets. There are walls of rubble keeping out the police and armed groups. People say they will not sleep tonight.”

There were also clashes at the campus of the main university, where protesters contended that the security forces were protecting armed vigilantes accused of fomenting tensions between the 70 percent of the population that is Shia and the Sunni ruling family and elite. >>> Ethan Bronner | Sunday, March 13, 2011

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Police, Protesters Clash in Bahrain While Hundreds Rally in Saudi Arabia
THE WASHINGTON POST: DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia – Security forces and protesters clashed in Bahrain on Sunday during the most violent day in weeks, and hundreds marched in Saudi Arabia to demand the release of prisoners who have been detained without charges.

Witnesses in Bahrain said that hundreds of people were injured after police fired tear gas at protesters and attacked them with batons as they tried to shut down capital city Manama's financial center on the first day of the country's workweek. Protesters threw gas canisters and stones at police.

Later in the day, clashes between pro-government supporters and protesters took place near the University of Bahrain, witnesses said.

In Riyadh, hundreds of family members of people who have been jailed without charges rallied in front of the Ministry of Interior calling for their release, said Mohammed Al-Qahtani, founder of the Association of Civil and Political Rights in Saudi Arabia. The protest was peaceful, with no clashes between police and demonstrators, he said. >>> Michael Birnbaum | Sunday, March 13, 2011

Related video >>>

Tear Gas Used on Bahrain Protesters
Footage appears to show man shot in chest with tear gas canister as police also use rubber bullets on Manama protesters

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Riot police in Bahrain have used tear gas and rubber bullets in an attempt to force a group of hundreds of anti-government protesters from blocking the capital's financial district. >>> Source: Al Jazeera and agencies | Sunday, March 13, 2011

Calls from the Street Continue in Bahrain
Feb 26 - Thousands march through the streets of Bahrain's capital, Manama calling for change. Deborah Lutterbeck reports

"Wir haben diesen König satt"
ZEIT ONLINE: Erst wollten sie nur Reformen, doch nun fordern die Demonstranten in Bahrain von Tag zu Tag mehr. Nada Ali ist eine von ihnen.

Manama. Heute hat sie über die Panzer gesiegt. Nada Ali, geschützt durch Schleier und Sonnenbrille, trägt ein eingerolltes Banner unter dem Arm. Mit Tausenden schiitischen Frauen ist sie zum Perlendenkmal im Zentrum von Manama gezogen. Schwarze Kopftücher tief im Gesicht, Rosen und bahrainische Flaggen in den Händen. Sie stehen eng beieinander. Der Perlenplatz war noch vor wenigen Tagen Schauplatz eines Massakers. Mitten in der Nacht schossen die Gendarmen des Königs mit scharfer Munition auf schlafende Demonstranten. Zwei Tage später zogen die Schützenpanzer auf den Wink des Herrschers ab. Seitdem ist der große Platz unter der Perle das Epizentrum der bahrainischen Revolte. Hier entrollt Nada ihr Banner: »Wir sind die Kinder von Hussein, dem Märtyrer, der für Gerechtigkeit und Islam gestorben ist«. >>> Von Michael Thumann | Freitag, 25. Februar 2011

Des milliers de Bahreïnien dans les rues de Manama
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Deux marches importantes comprenant des milliers de manifestants ont marché dans Manama, la capitale de Barheïn, pour demander des réformes et des changements dans le gouvernement.

Plusieurs dizaines de milliers de manifestants sont descendus dans la rue vendredi à Manama, la capitale de Bahreïn, pour faire monter la pression sur le pouvoir avant d’éventuelles discussions visant à mettre fin à près de deux semaines de contestation dans le petit royaume.

Au moins deux marches importantes convergeaient vers la place de la Perle, devenue le symbole de la révolte. Aucune intervention des forces de l’ordre pour empêcher leur progression n’était signalée. Ce vendredi avait été déclaré jour de deuil national par le gouvernement pour honorer la mémoire des sept personnes tuées depuis le début des manifestations le 14 février.

De nombreux manifestants brandissaient des drapeaux aux couleurs du pays. Parmi les slogans lancés par les protestataires: "Pas de dialogue avant la dissolution du gouvernement" et "Pour l’avenir de Bahreïn, nous n’avons pas peur d’être tués."
Place de la Perle, un immense drapeau bahreïni a été hissé avec les mots "Place des martyrs" en arabe, en référence à ceux qui ont été tués par les forces de sécurité. Des photos des morts ont été affichées sur la place.

Avant les marches de protestation, un religieux chiite de premier plan a déclaré lors d’un prêche que tout dialogue entre les manifestants et le pouvoir devait conduire à des réformes et changements clairs. Imam Isa Qassim a appelé à des discussions "claires, globales et productives" lors de son sermon dans une mosquée du village de Diraz, un foyer de la contestation. >>> AP | Vendredi 25 Février 2011

Le roi de Bahreïn ordonne la libération de détenus chiites
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: APAISEMENT | Le roi de Bahreïn libère des prisonniers chiites, faisant ainsi un pas dans la direction de l'opposition, qui manifeste depuis le 14 février pour des réformes et la fin du règne de la dynastie des Al-Khalifa.

Le roi de Bahreïn a ordonné lundi soir la libération de détenus chiites, une des revendications de l’opposition, qui prévoit mardi une démonstration de force, avec une grande marche à Manama.

Le roi Hamad Ben Issa Al-Khalifa a ordonné de libérer des prisonniers chiites et de surseoir aux poursuites judiciaires contre d’autres prisonniers politiques, selon l’agence officielle BNA, qui n’a pas précisé le nombre des personnes concernées.

Mais un responsable de l’opposition chiite a indiqué s’attendre à ce qu’elle concerne un groupe de 25 militants chiites, jugés depuis octobre pour des actes de terrorisme.

"Cette mesure répond à l’une des demandes faites au prince héritier" dans la perspective d’une reprise du dialogue avec l’opposition, a déclaré un élu du Wefaq, le principal mouvement chiite, Abdel Jalil Khalil Ibrahim.

Parmi les militants chiites qui pourraient être concernés par la décision du roi, l’opposant Hassan Machaimaa, jugé par contumace pour terrorisme, a annoncé de Londres son intention de regagner le pays mardi. >>> AFP | Mardi 22 Février 2011

Libya's Gaddafi Faces Fight of Life, Bahrain Offer Snubbed
REUTERS: Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi faced the biggest challenge of his rule on Saturday amid reports that dozens of people have been killed as an offer by Bahrain's king of national dialogue to end the crisis there was rebuffed by the opposition.

Violence has spread from Tunisia and Egypt to Bahrain, Libya, Yemen and Djibouti, presenting the United States with the dilemma of maintaining stability in the oil-rich region while upholding the right to demonstrate for democratic change.

Protests in Libya's second city of Benghazi on Friday against Gaddafi's four decades in power were unprecedented with Amnesty International saying 46 people had been killed in a three-day crackdown.

Funerals of dead protesters could act as further flashpoints for demonstrators emboldened by uprisings in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt that toppled long-ruling presidents.

"Special forces who have a very strong allegiance to Gaddafi are still fighting desperately to gain to control, to gain ground and the people are fighting them street by street," said a resident of Benghazi identified as Mohammed by the BBC. >>> Cynthia Johnston and Frederik Richter, Manama | Saturday, February 19, 2011

Bahrain Troops Fire at Protesters
Feb 18 - Reuters video appears to show Bahrain security forces firing tear gas at protesters near Thursday's protest epicentre of Pearl Square. Gunshots are also heard. Rough cut - no reporter narration

Protesters Clash with Security, Loyalists in Yemen
Feb 18 - At least two people are killed and dozens wounded, as Yemeni security forces clash with crowds calling for the President to quit. Deborah Lutterbeck reports

Bahrain Mourners Call for Toppling of Monarchy
FOX NEWS: MANAMA, BAHRAIN – Thousands of funeral mourners called for the downfall of Bahrain's ruling monarchy as burials began Friday after a deadly assault on pro-reform protesters that has brought army tanks into the streets of the most strategic Western ally in the Gulf.

The cries against Bahrain's king and his inner circle reflect an escalation of the demands from a political uprising that began by only asking for a weakening of the Sunni monarchy's hold on top government posts and addressing discrimination by the Shiite majority in the tiny island nation.

The mood, however, appears to have turned toward defiance of the entire ruling system after the brutal attack Thursday on a protest encampment in Bahrain's capital Manama, which left at least five dead, more than 230 injured and put the nation under emergency-style footing with military forces in key areas and checkpoints on main roadways.

"The regime has broken something inside of me ... All of these people gathered today have had something broken in them," said Ahmed Makki Abu Taki, whose 27-year-old brother Mahmoud was killed in the pre-dawn sweep through the protest camp in Manama's Pearl Square. "We used to demand for the prime minister to step down, but now our demand is for the ruling family to get out." >>> Associated Press | Wednesday, February 16, [sic?] 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Bahrain mourners call for end to monarchy: Mood of defiance against entire ruling system after brutal attack on Pearl Square protest camp that left at least five dead >>> Associated Press | Friday, February 18, 2011

Bahrain Mourners Protest Over Deadly Crackdown
Thousands mourn on the streets and the main opposition party quits parliament after the death of protesters in a police crackdown