Bahrain's king imposed a three-month state of emergency Tuesday, March 15, and gave the country's military chief wide authority to battle a pro-democracy uprising that has threatened the ruling monarchy and drawn in forces from around the Gulf.
The martial law-style order – read on Bahrain state TV – comes a day after more than 1,000 Saudi-led troops arrived to help prop up the U.S.-backed regime in the first major cross-border action against the revolts that have erupted across the Arab world.
According to The Associated Press, a security official in Saudi Arabia said a Saudi sergeant was shot and killed by a protester on Tuesday in Bahrain's capital, Manama. No other details were immediately given on the death of the soldier, identified as Sgt. Ahmed al-Raddadi.
