ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center
SOURCE: Federal News Radio
30March2011 10:05amEST
GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) - Bahrain's Shiite opposition leader is demanding the Saudi-led force the Gulf nation's Sunni rulers invited to help quell the anti-government protests leaves the country.
Ali Salman says foreign troops must leave because the opposition rejects "any military intervening for any party" here.
About 1,500 troops from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states entered Bahrain two weeks ago on the Sunni monarch's invitation. Bahrain's king also declared emergency rule and cracked down heavily on protesters who have challenged the royal family's monopoly on power.
Shiite powerhouse Iran strongly condemned the deployment.
But Salman on Wednesday also said Iran shouldn't interfere. He told reporters that "we don't want Bahrain to turn into a conflict zone" between Saudi Arabia and Iran. (read full report)