23 - 24 May 2017

public order. It called the in a Twitter message.

area a haven for wanted Witnesses had earlier told
fugitives from justice. AFP that several civilians
Activists shared were wounded when
photographs and videos police officers fired at
5 killed, 286 held in showing youths throwing Five killed as Bahrain demonstrators throwing
Bahrain raid on Shiite stones and climbing on an police open fire on Shiite stones and Molotov
clerics town armored personnel carrier. protest cocktails at security forces.
Gunfire could be heard in Five people were killed in A total of 286 arrests were
Bahrain police raided a one video as white smoke
town Tuesday that is home Bahrain on Tuesday when made, including fugitives
from tear gas hung in the police opened fire on a that had escaped from Jau
to a prominent Shiite cleric air. Another video showed a
facing possible deportation, protest by supporters of a Prison, the ministry said.
bulldozer smashing through top cleric in a Shiite village,
arresting 286 people in an the area that once hosted Several terrorists and
assault in which officers the interior ministry said, convicted felons were also
the sit-in. in the latest unrest to hit the
fired tear gas and shotguns apprehended with a large
at protesters. At least five Police arrested 286 people, Sunni-ruled Gulf state. number of them hiding
demonstrators were killed including terrorists and Five deaths have been in the residence of Isa
and others wounded. convicted felons who hid registered among the Qassim, it added.
inside of Qassims home, outlaws in Diraz, near the
The Interior Ministry said the Interior Ministry said. read more
the operation targeting capital of Manama, where
It said 19 members of the the police opened fire to
Diraz, home to Sheikh Isa islands security forces
Qassim and a long-running disperse the sit-in outside
were wounded in the raid the home of cleric Isa
sit-in supporting him, was that saw protesters throw
to maintain security and Qassim, the ministry said
gasoline bombs.

given a one-year suspended to maintain security and

jail sentence for alleged public order. It called the
corruption. area a haven for wanted
Bahrain protester killed The cleric - who holds the fugitives from justice.
in raid on sit-in near religious rank of ayatollah Activists shared
Shia clerics home - was also fined 100,000 photographs and videos
1 killed, 50 held after
A protester has been killed Bahraini dinars ($265,000; Bahrain raid on Shiite showing youths throwing
in a raid by Bahraini police 204,000) after being clerics town stones and climbing on an
on a sit-in near the home of found guilty by a court of armored personnel carrier.
the Sunni-ruled kingdoms collecting funds illegally Bahrain police raided a Gunfire could be heard in
most prominent Shia cleric, and money laundering. town Tuesday that is home one video as white smoke
activists say. to a prominent Shiite from tear gas hung in the
cleric facing the threat of air. Another video showed a
Witnesses said officers had deportation, arresting 50 bulldozer smashing through
opened fire as they moved people in an assault that the area that once hosted
into the village of Diraz, saw officers fire tear gas and the sit-in.
where Sheikh Isa Qassim shotguns at protesters. At
lives. least one demonstrator was Police arrested 50 people,
The interior ministry said a killed and others wounded, including terrorists and
number of fugitives had activists said. convicted felons who hid
been arrested, but did not inside of Qassims home,
Bahrains Interior Ministry the Interior Ministry said.
comment on the reported said the operation targeting It said some security forces
death. Diraz, home to Sheikh Isa were wounded in the raid
The raid comes two days Qassim and a long-running that saw protesters throw
after Sheikh Qassim was sit-in supporting him, was gasoline bombs.
 stones and petrol bombs, throwing stones and
reports said, before entering Molotov cocktails at
the home of Qassim and security forces.
arresting six people. Police arrested several
Bahrain clashes leave five people wanted by the
dead near home of Shia The Britain-based Bahrain
leader Institute for Rights and Protester killed as police authorities, the interior
Democracy reported the raid Bahrain sit-in: NGO ministry said.
Bahrain police on Tuesday tragic death of a peaceful A protester was killed Qassim was sentenced on
opened fire on protesters protester in the crackdown Tuesday in a Bahraini police Sunday to a suspended one-
in clashes that left five on Tuesday, before reports raid on a sit-in by supporters year jail term for illegal
people dead, before raiding of more fatalities during the of a leading Shiite cleric put fundraising and money
the home of the countrys raid. on trial in the Gulf state, a laundering.
leading Shia cleric at the rights group said.
centre of a long-running Bahrains interior ministry He was also stripped
sit-in. on Tuesday said it had The Britain-based Bahrain of citizenship last year,
launched a security Institute for Rights and sparking the sit-in outside
Witnesses told AFP there operation in the village of Democracy reported the of his residence in Diraz.
were multiple civilians Diraz to preserve security tragic death of a peaceful
wounded in the raid and civil order as the site is protester in the crackdown read more
targeting the months- a safe haven for fugitives. in Diraz, the hometown of
long sit-in in Diraz, the cleric Isa Qassim.
hometown of cleric Isa
Qassim. read more Eyewitnesses told AFP
multiple civilians were
Police opened fire at wounded when police
demonstrators throwing opened fire at demonstrators

The operation in Diraz was He was also stripped

based on intel that several of citizenship last year,
fugitives connected to sparking the sit-in outside
serious acts of terrorism and of his residence in Diraz.
Bahrain security forces the killing of a policeman
raid home of Shiite were harbored in the Bahrains interior ministry
spiritual leader Bahrain police open fire on Tuesday said it had
village, a security official on Shiite sit-in: witnesses launched a security
Bahraini security forces on told Reuters, adding that six operation in the village of
Tuesday raided the home people were arrested from Bahrain police on Tuesday
the clerics home. opened fire on a long- Diraz to preserve security
of the kingdoms Shiite and civil order as the site is
Muslim spiritual leader running sit-in in support of
Bahrains interior ministry a leading Shiite cleric in the a safe haven for fugitives.
and shot dead at least one issued a statement later
demonstrator during the Sunni-ruled Gulf state, hit Bahrain has been shaken by
saying that five people had by years of unrest. unrest since security forces
operation. died during the raid and
286 had been arrested. Eyewitnesses told AFP crushed Shiite-led protests
Ayatollah Isa Qassim was demanding a constitutional
not among the 50 people there were multiple civilians
wounded in the raid targeting monarchy and an elected
arrested during the raid, but prime minister in 2011.
the move is likely to raise read more the months-long sit-in in
tensions in Bahrain days Diraz, the hometown of read more
after U.S. President Donald cleric Isa Qassim.
Trump said Washingtons Qassim was sentenced on
relationship with the Sunni- Sunday to a suspended one-
ruled kingdom - long strained year jail term for illegal
over its human rights record fundraising and money
- would improve. laundering.