Saudi forces to stay till June: Bahrain

Saudi-led troops in Bahrain, (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/179503.html

Bahrain's army says Saudi-led forces will remain in the small Persian Gulf sheikhdom until the nationwide state of emergency is lifted.

Army Commander-in-Chief Marshal Shaikh Khalifa said the Saudi-led forces will stay in Bahrain in “anticipation of any foreign threat,” Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

On May 8, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a royal decree declaring June 1 to be the end of the nationwide marshal law. The state of emergency had been declared in March.

Shaikh Khalifa also claimed that anti-regime protesters had been “drugged,” which made them do what he called unusual things.

Since mid-February, thousands of anti-government protesters in Bahrain have poured into the streets, calling for an end to the ruling of Al Khalifa dynasty, which has ruled the country for almost forty years.

On March 13, Saudi-led forces were dispatched to the Persian Gulf island at Manama's request to quell the countrywide protests.

Since the deployment of Saudi troops in Bahrain, Manama has shown itself capable of great brutality in suppressing the anti-regime protesters.

Scores of protesters have been killed and many others arrested and sent to unknown locations during Manama's violent crackdowns on anti-government protesters. A number of the deaths were caused by and occurred under torture.

Regime forces have also raided dozens of mosques, schools, sacred sites and even graves in persisting efforts to suppress all opposition.