Bahrainis rally to honor protesters killed in 2011 revolution

Anti-regime protesters in the Persian Gulf state of Bahrain have staged more rallies to honor the memory of the demonstrators killed by security forces on the fourth anniversary of the country’s 2011 popular uprising.

People staged protest rallies in the village of Nuwaidrat and the island of Sitra on Tuesday to commemorate those killed on February 17, 2011, widely referred to as the Bloody Thursday in Bahrain.

On February 17, 2011, Bahraini forces launched a pre-dawn raid to clear the capital Manama’s iconic Pearl Square of camping protesters. During the brutal attack on the peaceful protesters, at least four people were killed and hundreds of others were injured.

On Tuesday, the demonstrators also lit candles to express solidarity with the families of those killed at the hands of the Saudi-backed regime forces.

on Saturday, protesters from across Bahrain converged on Manama’s Pearl Square to mark the fourth anniversary of their uprising.

According to a statement issued by the country’s leading opposition party, al-Wefaq, regime forces took into custody more than 30 demonstrators during the Saturday protest rallies and stormed 12 houses, inflicting damage on people’s properties.

Also on Friday, Bahrainis held three rounds of rallies, with human rights activists reporting that 300 protesters were injured in attacks by regime forces. The Bahrain Human Rights Watch also said that 17 young people were arrested during the demonstrations.

The popular uprising in Bahraini began on February 2011. Since then, thousands of protesters have been waging regular mass rallies in the US-backed Persian Gulf country.

The protesters are demanding the downfall of Al Khalifah family and the establishment of a democratically-elected government.