Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain

{{Infobox military conflict

| partof = Bahraini uprising of 2011, the Arab Spring, and the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict

| image = 2011 Bahraini uprising - March (152).jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption = Hundreds of protesters denouncing the Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain in a march to the Saudi embassy in Manama on 15 March 2011

| date = 14 March 2011 – 4 July 2011{{cite magazine|url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-arabia-set-withdraw-troops-from-bahrain-407551.html|title=Saudi Arabia set to withdraw troops from Bahrain|date=28 June 2011|magazine=Arabian Business}}
({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=03|day1=14|year1=2011|month2=07|day2=04|year2=2011}})
(Minor police presence till March 2014)

| place = Bahrain

| result = Saudi-led coalition victory

Suppression of Bahraini opposition demonstrators with GCC support.{{cite web|url= https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/01/31/bahrain-widespread-suppression-scant-reforms|title=Bahrain: Widespread Suppression, Scant Reforms|work=Human Rights Watch|date=31 January 2013 }}

| combatant1 = {{flagicon image|GCC Flag.svg}} Peninsula Shield Force
{{bulleted list|

|{{flag|Saudi Arabia}}

|{{flag|United Arab Emirates}}

|{{flag|Kuwait}}

|{{flag|Bahrain}}

}}

| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Bahrain}} Bahraini opposition

| strength1 = {{flagicon|Gulf Cooperation Council}} Peninsula Shield Force: 1,500 troops{{cite web|url=http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/state-of-emergency-declared-in-bahrain|title=State of emergency declared in Bahrain|work=The National|access-date=28 July 2015}}
{{bulleted list

| bullets= yes

|{{flagicon image|Emblem of Saudi Arabia.svg}} SANG: 1,000 policemen

|{{flag|United Arab Emirates}}: 500 policemen

|{{flag|Kuwait}}: Naval support

}}

| strength2 = Thousands of protesters

| casualties1 = {{flagicon|Bahrain}} 2 policemen killed
{{flagicon|Gulf Cooperation Council}} 2 policemen killed

{{bulleted list

| bullets= yes

|{{flag|Saudi Arabia}}: 1 policeman killed{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42087238|title=Bahrain king declares martial law over protests|work=NBC News|date=15 March 2011 |access-date=5 August 2015}}

|{{flag|United Arab Emirates}}: 1 policeman killed{{cite web|url=http://www.thenational.ae/uae/emirati-hero-killed-in-the-line-of-duty-in-bahrain-laid-to-rest|title=Emirati hero killed in the line of duty in Bahrain laid to rest|work=The National|access-date=28 July 2015}}

}}

| casualties2 = 6 protesters killed{{cite news |archive-date=2023-11-11|access-date=2023-10-07|url-status=live |work=BBC Arabic |script-title=ar:الشرق الأوسط - البحرين: 6 قتلى وفرض حظر للتجول وواشنطن تنتقد قمع المتظاهرين|language=ar|url=https://www.bbc.com/arabic/middleeast/2011/03/110316_bahrain_crackdown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111200013/https://www.bbc.com/arabic/middleeast/2011/03/110316_bahrain_crackdown}}
400 wounded{{cite news |archive-date=2023-06-21|access-date=2023-10-07|work=CNN |title=Witnesses: Security forces attack protesters and doctors in Bahrain|language=en |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/16/bahrain.protests/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621051042/http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/16/bahrain.protests/index.html}}{{cite news |archive-date=2023-06-20|access-date=2023-10-07|script-newspaper=ar:صحيفة الوسط البحرينية|script-title=ar:3 قتلى و250 مصاباً في أول يوم من إعلان حالة الطوارئ |language=ar|url=http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/532534.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620210522/http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/532534.html}}

| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Bahraini uprising}}
{{Campaignbox Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict}}

| conflict = Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain

}}

The Saudi–led intervention in Bahrain began on 14 March 2011 to assist the Bahraini government in suppressing an anti-government uprising in the country. The intervention came three weeks after the U.S. pressured Bahrain to withdraw its military forces from the streets.{{cite web|last1=Henderson|first1=Simon|title=Bahrain's Crisis: Saudi Forces Intervene|url=http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/bahrains-crisis-saudi-forces-intervene|website=Washington Institute|access-date=19 March 2016}} As a decision by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the intervention included sending 1,000 (1,200) troops with vehicles from Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the Al-Khalifa ruling family, marking the first time the GCC used such a collective military option for suppressing a revolt.{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/world/middleeast/15bahrain.html?_r=1&hp | title = Saudi Troops Enter Bahrain to Help Put Down Unrest |work=The New York Times |date=14 March 2011 | access-date=14 March 2011 | first1=Ethan | last1=Bronner | first2=Michael | last2=Slackman| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110317034801/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/world/middleeast/15bahrain.html?_r=1&hp| archive-date=17 March 2011| url-status= live}}{{cite book|last1=Held|first1=David|last2=Ulrichsen|first2=Kristian|title=The transformation of the Gulf politics, economics and the global order|date=2012|publisher=Routledge|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FmdaBwAAQBAJ&q=Saudi+intervention+in+Bahrain&pg=PR3|location=Abingdon, Oxon|isbn=978-1-136-69840-8|access-date=20 February 2016}}

Calling it both an occupation and a declaration of war, the Bahraini opposition pleaded for foreign help.{{cite news | title = Gulf States Send Force to Bahrain Following Protests | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12729786 |work=BBC News | date=14 March 2011 | access-date=15 April 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110420040119/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12729786| archive-date= 20 April 2011 | url-status= live}}{{cite news |date=15 March 2011 |title=Two Killed in Bahrain Violence Despite Martial Law |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-12751464 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405202839/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12751464 |archive-date=5 April 2011}} The intervention was precedented by the 1994 Saudi intervention in Bahrain.{{cite web |last1= |title=Saudi Intervention in Bahrain |url=https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/saudi-intervention-bahrain |access-date=12 March 2016 |website=Stratfor}}

Background

Bahrain protests began with the 14 February 2011 protest, mostly by the Shia Muslims making up the majority of Bahrain's population,{{cite news | author=Black, Ian|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/14/middle-east-iran-bahrain-yemen |title = Arrests and Deaths as Egypt Protest Spreads Across Middle East|work=The Guardian |location=London | date=14 February 2011 | access-date=14 April 2011 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110413220311/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/14/middle-east-iran-bahrain-yemen| archive-date= 13 April 2011 | url-status= live}} which faced immediate reaction from government.{{in lang|ar}} [http://www.alwasatnews.com/3084/news/read/527311/1.html "قتيل وأكثر من 30 مصاباً في مسيرات احتجاجية أمس"]. Al Wasat. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2012. The protests initially sought greater political freedom and equality for the majority Shia population,[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wikileaks-files/bahrain-wikileaks-cables/8334600/BAHRAINS-SHIA-POLITICAL-LEADERS-VISIT-IRAQ.html "Bahrain Shia Leaders Visit Iraq"]. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 January 2011. and expanded to a call to end the monarchy of Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa{{cite news |author= |author-link=Staff writer |date=18 February 2011 |title=Bahrain Mourners Call for End to Monarchy – Mood of Defiance Against Entire Ruling System After Brutal Attack on Pearl Square Protest Camp That Left at Least Five Dead |work=The Guardian |publisher= |location= |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/18/bahrain-mourners-call-downnfall-monarchy |url-status=live |access-date=31 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219135708/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/18/bahrain-mourners-call-downnfall-monarchy |archive-date=19 February 2011}} following a deadly night raid on 17 February 2011 against protesters at the Pearl Roundabout in Manama.{{cite news| title = Clashes Rock Bahraini Capital| date=17 February 2011 |publisher=Al Jazeera| url = http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/02/201121714223324820.html | access-date=15 April 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110218053044/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201121714223324820.html | archive-date=18 February 2011 |url-status=live}}{{cite news| url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12490286 | title = Bahrain Protests: Police Break Up Pearl Square Crowd |work=BBC News | date=17 February 2011 | access-date=15 April 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110405191818/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12490286| archive-date= 5 April 2011 | url-status= live}}

Protesters blocked roads and their sheer numbers overwhelmed the Bahrain police. The government of Bahrain requested help from neighbouring countries.{{Cite web |title=Bahrain 'asks for Gulf help' |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/3/14/bahrain-asks-for-gulf-help |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} On 14 March, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreed to deploy Peninsula Shield Force troops to Bahrain to secure key installations.{{cite web| url = http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/03/2011314124928850647.html | title = Saudi Soldiers Sent into Bahrain|publisher=Al Jazeera| date=15 March 2011 | access-date=15 April 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110415074458/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/2011314124928850647.html| archive-date= 15 April 2011 | url-status= live}}

Units involved

GCC responded to the request from Bahrain's Al-Khalifa by sending its Peninsula Shield Force.{{Cite journal |last1=Ilan |first1=Goldenberg |title=Bridging the Gulf: How to fix U.S. relations with the GCC |last2=Dalton |first2=Melissa Griffin |journal=Foreign Affairs |date=2015 |volume=94 |issue=6 |pages=59–66 |publisher=Council on Foreign Relation |jstor=43946541 |oclc=1023441567 |author-link2=Melissa Dalton}} The units sent from Saudi included 1,000 (1,200) troops along with 150 vehicles. The vehicles included "wheeled, light-armored vehicles with roof-mounted heavy machine guns". Saudi soldiers were apparently from Saudi Arabian National Guard, commanded by a son of King Abdullah, Prince Miteb. Also, 500 United Arab Emirates (UAE) policemen were sent via the causeway between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Kuwait sent their navy to patrol the borders of Bahrain.{{cite news|last1=Holmes|first1=Amy Austin|title=The military intervention that the world forgot|url=http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/3/bahrain-uprisinginterventionsaudiarabiaemirates.html|access-date=11 March 2016|work=Al-Jazeera}}{{cite web|last1=Katzman|first1=Kenneth|title=Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy|url=https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/95-1013.pdf|website=Congressional Research Service|access-date=19 May 2016}} According to an Al Jazeera report, Pakistani former servicemen were recruited into the Bahraini National Guard.{{cite news |last1=Mashal |first1=Mujib |title=Pakistani troops aid Bahrain's crackdown |work=Al Jazeera |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/07/2011725145048574888.html |access-date=16 June 2016}}

By 2014, 5,000 Saudi and Emirati forces were positioned "less than 10 miles from the Pearl Roundabout, the center of the country's protest movement".

Goals

Bahrain's strategic importance to Saudi Arabian government is originated from economic, sectarian and geopolitical reasons.{{cite web|last=Bronson|first=Rachel|title=Saudi Arabia's Intervention in Bahrain: A Necessary Evil or a Strategic Blunder?|access-date=6 May 2016|url=http://www.fpri.org/docs/media/201103.bronson.saudiarabia.pdf}}

=Sectarian and geopolitical goals=

The real purpose of the intervention was to stop "a growing rebellion by the kingdom's majority, but deprived ... Shia citizens" by taking all necessary measures.{{cite news|last1=Butler|first1=William|title=Saudi Arabian intervention in Bahrain driven by visceral Sunni fear of Shias|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/20/bahrain-saudi-arabia-rebellion|access-date=5 March 2016|work=The Guardian}} Death of an Emirati policeman, Tariq al-Shehi, made it clear that the foreign troops were in fact involved in suppressing protests. According to Nuruzzaman, the most important factor leading to Saudi's intervention in Bahrain, is "the domino effect of Bahrain's fall into Shia hands".{{cite news |last1= |title=Why Saudi Arabia Crushed the Democratic Uprising in Bahrain |work=ADHRB |url=http://www.adhrb.org/2015/02/why-saudi-arabia-crushed-the-democratic-uprising-in-bahrain/ |access-date=6 May 2016}} Concerned about their own Shia population and fearful of democratic change, Saudi king Abdullah sought to reverse the pro-democracy movements in his neighbor countries using force. Saudi Arabia maintained that the cause of unrest in Saudi's eastern province, is the Shia uprising in Bahrain. According to Steffen Hertog, a Saudi Arabia expert at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Saudi's move was a signal to Shia movements in the Eastern Province to express how seriously Saudi intended to crack down the unrest. Moreover, keeping Al-Khalifa, "the key conservative Sunni ally of Saudi", in power was of notable importance to Saudi to avoid the spread of Iran's influence in west of Gulf. Saudi Arabia acted through GCC to mask its "strategic concern" about Iran and its influence.

As home of the United States Fifth Fleet, the events in Bahrain involved U.S. interests, too.{{cite web|last1=Bayyenat|first1=Abolghasem|title=Bahrain: Beyond the U.S.-Iran Rivalry - FPIF|url=http://fpif.org/bahrain_beyond_the_us-iran_rivalry/|website=Foreign Policy In Focus|access-date=18 June 2016|date=10 June 2011}}{{cite news |last1=Amirahmadi |first1=Hooshang |last2=Afrasiabi |first2=Kaveh |date=29 April 2011 |title=The west's silence over Bahrain smacks of double standards |work=the Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/apr/29/bahrain-saudi-arabia-iran-west |access-date=18 June 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Friedman|first1=George|title=Bahrain and the Battle Between Iran and Saudi Arabia|url=https://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20110307-bahrain-and-battle-between-iran-and-saudi-arabia|website=Stratfor|access-date=18 June 2016}} Any Saudi departure from Bahrain and the assertion of Shia power would also directly affect U.S. interests and lead to weakening United States "military posture in the region".

=Economic goals=

The intervention was apparently carried out with the aim of guarding Bahrain's oil infrastructure. The two kingdoms have strong economical ties and Saudi Arabia had made significant investments in Bahrain's tourism, infrastructure and industry.{{cite book|last1=Gray|first1=Matthew|title=Global Security Watch—Saudi Arabia|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-38700-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dxvFBAAAQBAJ&q=economic+goals+saudi+intervention+in+bahrain&pg=PA97|access-date=16 June 2016|language=en|date=2014-10-07}} Saudi Arabia, Bahrain's largest trading partner, sent troops to Bahrain to pursue some economic goals and among the important factors leading to sending troops to Bahrain were "the possibility of the loss of oil fields, terminals and crude processing plants, the loss of investment and future investment prospects". Moreover, any spill over of Bahrain's unrest into the neighbor kingdom would "upend" global oil markets.

Attacks

On 3 March 2014, a remotely detonated bomb by protesters in the village of Al Daih killed 3 police officers. One of the police officers killed was an Emirati policeman from the Peninsula Shield Force. The two other officers killed were Bahraini policemen.{{cite news |last1=Saeed |first1=Farishta |last2=Aboudi |first2=Sami |date=3 March 2014 |title=Bahrain blast kills three policemen: Interior Ministry |work=Reuters |editor-last=Liffey |editor-first=Kevin |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bahrain-unrest/bahrain-blast-kills-three-policemen-interior-ministry-idUSBREA221C520140303}} On 15 January 2017, the Bahraini government passed a capital punishment sentence of execution by firing squad on three men found guilty for the bomb attack that killed the three security forces.{{cite news |title=Bahrain executes three, despite protests |url=http://www.dw.com/en/bahrain-executes-three-despite-protests/a-37137212 |work=DW.COM |agency=Deutsche Welle |date=15 January 2017 |access-date=15 January 2017}}

Aftermath

Primarily interpreted by analysts "in terms of domestic and regional political and strategic dynamics", the intervention has created serious regional and global concerns{{Cite journal|last1=Nuruzzaman|first1=Mohammed|title=Politics, Economics and Saudi Military Intervention in Bahrain|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263487967|journal=Journal of Contemporary Asia|date=2013|volume=43|issue=2|pages=363–378|doi=10.1080/00472336.2012.759406|s2cid=216139794|access-date=12 March 2016}} and has turned the uprising into a regional cold war. Among other factors, the foreign military intervention may drive the sectarianism.{{cite news|last1=Gengler|first1=Justin|title=How Bahrain's crushed uprising spawned the Middle East's sectarianism|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/02/13/how-bahrains-crushed-uprising-spawned-the-middle-easts-sectarianism/|access-date=12 March 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post}} According to Foreign Policy magazine, the intervention marked "a dramatic escalation of Bahrain's political crisis."{{cite news|last=Seznec|first=Jean-François|title=Saudi Arabia Strikes Back|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2011/03/14/saudi-arabia-strikes-back-2/|access-date=21 May 2016|work=Foreign Policy|date=14 March 2011}}

Reactions

{{flag|UN}}: Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations said that he was "troubled" by "the deployment of the Peninsula Shield Force" and that "the arrival of Saudi and UAE troops had been noted with "concern"". He asked all those involved to "exercise maximum restraint".{{cite news|last1=Amies|first1=Nick|title=Saudi intervention in Bahrain increases Gulf instability|url=http://www.dw.com/en/saudi-intervention-in-bahrain-increases-gulf-instability/a-14912216|access-date=6 May 2016|work=Deutsche Welle}}
{{flag|Iran}}: Tehran asserted that the move was an invasion and accused the GCC of "meddling" in Bahrain's internal affairs."
{{flag|Pakistan}}: Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's prime minister, supported the intervention and in his visit to Saudi Arabia he reassured that he would "help devise a new battle plan for Saudi intervention in the country".{{cite web|last1=Alam|first1=Kamal|title=Saudi Arabia Has Devastated Pakistan's History of Religious Tolerance and Diversity|url=http://muftah.org/saudi-arabia-has-devastated-pakistans-history-of-religious-tolerance-and-diversity/#.Vu2mYeJ97IU|website=Muftah|access-date=19 March 2016}}
{{flag|Turkey}}: Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, condemned the intervention and characterized the Saudi movement as "a new karbala." He demanded withdrawal of Saudi forces from Bahrain.{{cite news|last1=Bhadrakumar|first1=M.K.|title=Asia Times Online :: Middle East News, Iraq, Iran current affairs|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MC25Ak02.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602082110/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MC25Ak02.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=2 June 2011|access-date=22 May 2016|work=Asia Times}}
{{flag|United States}}: A representative described the government as "shocked" by the move but opposed Iran's characterization of the intervention as an invasion. The Obama administration "obliquely criticized" the action.{{cite news|last1=Sanger|first1=David E.|last2=Schmitt|first2=Eric|title=Saudi Arabia's Action in Bahrain Strains Ties With United States|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/world/middleeast/15saudi.html|access-date=19 May 2016|work=The New York Times|date=14 March 2011}}