Tensions mount as Bahrain's king declares martial law

Bahrain's king declared martial law yesterday as his government struggled to quell an uprising by the island's Shiite Muslim majority that has drawn in troops from fellow Sunni-ruled neighbour Saudi Arabia.

The three-month state of emergency will hand wholesale power to Bahrain's security forces, dominated by the Sunni Muslim elite, stoking sectarian tensions in one of the Gulf's most politically volatile nations.

The largest Shiite opposition group, Wefaq, condemned the move and urged international intervention.

Disturbances shook the kingdom yesterday. A hospital source said two men, one Bahraini and the other Bangladeshi, were killed in clashes in the Shiite area of Sitra and more than 200 people were wounded in various incidents.

A security official in Saudi Arabia said a Saudi sergeant was shot and killed by a protester in the capital, Manama.

The United States, a close ally of both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, said it was concerned about reports of growing sectarianism in the country, home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. It dispatched assistant secretary of state Jeff Feltman to Bahrain to push for dialogue to resolve the crisis.

White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said: "One thing is clear, there is no military solution to the problems in Bahrain."

Interior minister Sheikh Rashed al-Khalifa said: "In order for the situation to return to normal we have to establish order and security and … stop the violations which have spread disturbances among the people of our dear country."

Bahraini state media have said that Shiite opposition activists - who say the state has been naturalising Sunni foreigners to tip the sectarian balance - are targeting foreigners. The opposition says the security forces are full of naturalised foreigners willing to use force against protesters.

On Monday, more than 1,000 Saudi troops rolled into Bahrain at the request of the island state's Sunni rulers, flashing victory signs as they crossed. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar have said they would also send police.

Thousands of Bahrainis marched on the Saudi embassy in Manama to protest against the intervention. One protester said: "People are angry, we want this occupation to end. We don't want anybody to help the al-Khalifa (the ruling family] or us."

Analysts said the troop movement showed concern in Saudi Arabia that any concessions in Bahrain could inspire the kingdom's own Shiite minority.

Around 70 per cent of Bahrainis are Shiites, who complain of discrimination at the hands of the Sunni royal family.Calls for the overthrow of the monarchy have alarmed the Sunni minority, which fears that unrest could serve Shiite power Iran.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said yesterday: "The presence of foreign forces and interference in Bahrain's internal affairs is unacceptable and will further complicate the issue."

A Bahraini foreign ministry official called the remarks "blatant interference in Bahrain's internal affairs", the state news agency BNA said, adding that Manama had recalled its ambassador to Iran for consultations.

Bahrain has been gripped by its worst unrest since the 1990s after protesters took to the streets last month, inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.

But unlike those countries, where the mainly Sunni populations united against the regime, Bahrain is split along sectarian lines, raising the risk of civil war.

Violent clashes between youths wielding clubs, knives and rocks have become daily occurrences, forcing Bahrain University and schools to close.

In Manama, metal barricades and rocks blocked the main road to the financial district and most shops were shut. Around Bahrain, residents have placed skips on the road to prevent strangers from entering their neighbourhoods; some are being guarded by young men, often masked and carrying sticks.