Bahrain declares state of emergency for three months

Bahrain's king Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa declared a three-month state of emergency on Tuesday as his government struggled to quell an uprising by the island's Shiite Muslim majority that has drawn in troops from fellow Sunni-ruled neighbor Saudi Arabia.

An uneasy calm fell on Bahrain overnight, and a defense ministry statement suggested action against protesters camped out for weeks at Pearl roundabout could be swift. Forces may impose curfews, disperse gatherings and evacuate areas, it said.

The three-month state of emergency hands power to Bahrain's security forces, which are dominated by the Sunni Muslim elite.

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 U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. It dispatched Assistant Secretary of State Jeff Feltman to Bahrain to push for dialogue to resolve the crisis.

Speaking in Cairo, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said she had told her Saudi counterpart to promote talks to resolve the situation.

On Monday, more than 1,000 Saudi troops rolled into the kingdom at the request of Bahrain's Sunni rulers. The United Arab Emirates has sent 500 policemen and Qatar said it would also send police.

Gulf states said on March 10 that they plan to provide Bahrain and Oman, which also faces a popular protest movement, with $10 billion each over a decade.

"Blatant interference"

Iran, which sits across the Gulf from Bahrain, criticized the decision to send in Saudi troops.

"The presence of foreign forces and interference in Bahrain's internal affairs is unacceptable and will further complicate the issue," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said at his weekly news conference in Tehran.

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 that toppled the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia.

Unlike those countries, where the mainly Sunni populations united against the regime, Bahrain is split along sectarian lines, raising the risk of a slide into civil conflict.

Violent clashes between youths wielding clubs, knives and rocks have become daily occurrences, forcing Bahrain University and many schools to close in order to avoid further trouble.

The disturbances are a major blow to the economy in Bahrain, whose oil reserves dwindling. Shops and offices were closed on Tuesday and the streets were deserted.

The largest Shiite opposition group, Wefaq, condemned the imposition of martial law and urged international intervention.

In a sign security could deteriorate, the U.S. State Department urged citizens to defer travel to Bahrain. Those in the island kingdom were advised to consider departing, the department said in an e-mailed statement.

The Pentagon also said it was authorizing the departure for family members and non-emergency Defense Department staff in Bahrain.

Around 2,300 US service members are in the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, which operates in the Gulf, the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.

Britain also advised against travel to Bahrain and said people without a pressing reason to remain should leave.

"We advise against all travel to Bahrain; we recommend those who do not have a pressing reason to remain should leave by commercial means as soon as it is safe to do so," the Foreign Office said.