Saudi occupation troops invade Bahrain to halt protests.

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Monday March 14, 2011 19:38 by gar

After the visit of U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to Bahrain on Friday,

Mr. Gates' visit—intended as a show of support for Bahrain's beleaguered royal king—was instantly complicated by the protests, in which police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to break up tens of thousands of protesters. Hundreds were injured. During his visit to the Gulf monarchy, the defense secretary is expected to take on an unusual diplomatic role, delivering a message of support to the ruling family while encouraging leaders to engage in dialogue with the opposition. Now with the invasion of Saudi Arabia the occupation forces are asked to play the role of suppression against the uprising challenging al khalifa

Mr. Gates' visit—intended as a show of support for Bahrain's beleaguered royal king—was instantly complicated by the protests, in which police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to break up tens of thousands of protesters. Hundreds were injured. During his visit to the Gulf monarchy, the defense secretary is expected to take on an unusual diplomatic role, delivering a message of support to the ruling family while encouraging leaders to engage in dialogue with the opposition. Now with the invasion of Saudi Arabia the occupation forces are asked to play the role of suppression against the uprising challenging al khalifa
More than 1,000 Saudi Arabian troops have arrived in Bahrain to help Bahraini forces intensify their crackdown on anti-government demonstrators.The Saudi soldiers arrived in the Bahraini capital, Manama, after Bahrain officials asked from neighboring Persian Gulf Arab countries to help them halt anti-government protests in the country. Demanding King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's ouster and constitutional reforms, the Bahraini demonstrators are continuing their protests across the tiny Persian Gulf country. As a part of the Persian Gulf countries' Peninsula Shield Force, more than 1,000 Saudi troops entered Bahrain on Sunday, a Saudi official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"We consider the entry of any soldier or military machinery into the Kingdom of Bahrain's air, sea or land territories a blatant occupation," Wefaq said in a statement.

On Sunday, media reports unveiled that the six-state (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is preparing to send military forces to crisis-hit Bahrain in an attempt to curb anti-government protests. Nabeel al-Hamer, an adviser to the royal court, also confirmed that the kingdom asked the Arab states to send troops to Bahrain. Forces from the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council have arrived in Bahrain to maintain order and security," the former information minister said on his Twitter feed late on Sunday. The revelation came one day after Bahraini security forces stepped up their crackdown on the anti-government protesters who were trying to expand their rallies from the capital's main square to the country's main business hub. Hundreds of the people have reportedly been wounded in the violence with live footage showing the forces shooting protesters at close range. Demonstrators on Monday also blocked the main roads to the Financial Harbour business complex in the capital Manama. There were also clashes at the University of Bahrain in the southern city of Sakhir on Monday. At least seven protesters have been killed since the start of anti-regime protests in mid-February.