Thousands of protesters in Bahrain rushed at riot police on Thursday, March 14th, during a demonstration held to mark the second anniversary of Saudi Arabia's intervention in the two-year uprising. Protesters in Shi-ite villages surrounding the capital, Manama, hurled fire-bombs and stones at riot police, who responded with stun grenades and tear gas. Burning tires smouldered in the roads where youths improvised barricades to prevent security forces entering the villages.

Troops from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other states in the Gulf were deployed to the island country in March 2011 to help the al-Khalifa monarchy quell Shi-ite-led protests against the Sunni regime.

Bahrain appointed moderate Crown Prince Salman al-Khalifa as first deputy prime minister March 5, signalling a concession to the opposition in ending the political upheaval.