A man, referring to today's killing of teenager Hassan AlJazeeri, defies Bahrain security forces, "You killed a 17-year-old kid. Shoot me, I don't fear you"
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Wednesday's Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Is There Any Hope in the "National Dialogue"?
2025 GMT: Bahrain. Clashes in Sitra today:
And in Karranah:
1740 GMT: Bahrain. The regime has put out its official line on today's events, including the police's killing of 16-year-old Hussein AlJazeeri. The Chief of Public Security, Major-General Tariq Hassan Al Hassan, said, "There have been several incidents of violent attacks on police officers and citizens, destruction of property and blocking of roads. In addition, store-owners were threatened not to open for business today and road blocks erected in some villages to prevent residents from going to work."
Without naming AlJazeeri, said:
The most violent group amassed at around 8am in the village of Daih where 300 rioters assembled to attack police deployed in the area, with rocks, steel rods and Molotov cocktails. Warning shots were fired but failed to disperse the advancing crowd which continued their attack. Officers discharged birdshot to defend themselves and at least one rioter was injured in the process. A short time later, a young man was pronounced dead at Salmaniya Medical Complex.
An immediate investigation into the death has been launched by the Public Prosecutor in conjunction with the Medical Examiner.
The Chief offered his condolences to the family of the deceased. He also took the opportunity to reiterate his statement of last night in which he had advised young men to avoid taking part in violent street activities and riots. He also reminded parents of their obligation to ensure that their children stayed away from violent protests and that they should know the whereabouts of their children at all times.
In conclusion, the Chief warned people not to exploit the young man's death for political purposes or as an excuse to engage in criminal or riotous behaviour. He said there would be additional police officers deployed throughout the weekend and whenever illegal activity occurred, arrests would be made.
1540 GMT: Bahrain. Protesters block the main road in Saar:
1440 GMT: Bahrain. An EA correspondent reports:
Sitra is on fire, it's a war zone over here. Heavy clashes with mercs (mercenaries, the term the opposition uses to describe police) have taken place for over 1 hour now.
This video shows riot vehicles pushing concrete barriers out of the way:
1315 GMT: Bahrain. Protest and clashes in AlEker village today:
1205 GMT: Bahrain. As photojournalist Mazen Mahdi films, police fire tear gas in his direction in Maksha:
Mahdi was briefly detained this morning.
1145 GMT: Egypt.Prime Minister Hisham Qandil said his Government has finished revising an economic reform plan needed for a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, but he did not say when the government might return to negotiations with the IMF.
The Government signed a preliminary agreement for the urgently-needed loan in November, but the formal signing was delayed amid political tension and President Morsi's sudden withdrawal of proposed tax increases that were an IMF condition for a deal.
Qandil said the government was in touch with the IMF by e-mail, but when he was asked whether it was true there were difficulties in getting loan negotiations restarted, he said, "Definitely...[but] we won't go back to zero."
1135 GMT: Bahrain. A local activist posts this photograph of Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister for more than 40 years, and notes, "Longest serving PM in history is at shopping mall drinking coffee, 10-minute drive to where 16-year-old was killed today."
0855 GMT: Bahrain. Security forces have detained three photographers, including Mazen Mahdi, in AlDaih, where teenager Hassan AlJazeeri was killed by police this morning.
Activist Maryam AlKhawaja notes that Ali Mushaima, the first person killed in the uprising --- exactly two years ago was also from AlDaih.
0805 GMT: Bahrain. Police on the streets in Nuwaidrat, looking for protesters:
0705 GMT: Bahrain. Clashes in AlDaih after security forces killed teenager Hussain AlJazeeri this morning:
Sitra at 9:15 a.m. local time, with shops closed, roads blocked, and police roaming the streets:
0655 GMT: Bahrain. Activists and an EA corrspondent in Bahrain report that teenager Hussain AlJazeeri has been shot and killed by security forces in AlDaih.
Video has been posted of Jalil after he was shot, with others trying to treat his gunshot wound.
0615 GMT: Bahrain. Today is the second anniversary of the mass protests, calling for reforms and rights, in the Kingdom.
Demonstrators marched to Pearl Roundabout, with its iconic monument, near the capital Manama and established a large camp. This was soon cleared by security forces, with the first killing of protesters, but in a dramatic moment, the camp was restored. Meanwhile, protests spread throughout the Kingdom and the capital, including --- controversially --- at the Salmaniya Medical Centre.
In mid-March, backed by a military force from the Gulf States, the Bahraini forces overran the Pearl camp once and for all, later destroying the monument. However, the demonstrations --- both at the "official" level, with societies like Al Wefaq, and at the "unofficial" level in the villages --- have persisted. Even the imprisonment of leading figures such as political activists Hassan Mushaima and Ebrahim Sharif and human rights activists like Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and Nabeel Rajab have not shut down the opposition.
That opposition is planning marches throughout Bahrain today. Already, however, police use of tear gas is reported, as people returned home after morning prayers.