Bahrain interior minister meets with opposition figures

Bahraini Interior Minister Lieutenant General Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa has met and held talks with a number of opposition figures on the security situation in the Persian Gulf kingdom, Press TV has learnt.

On Tuesday, Al Khalifa conferred with several political and religious individuals, including Chairman of Jaafari Endowment Council Shaikh Mohsen bin Shaikh Abdulhussain Khalaf al-Asfoor, General Secretary of the National Democratic Action Society Ibrahim Sharif al-Sayed, as well as two representatives from the country’s largest political party, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.

During the meeting, the Bahraini interior minister elaborated on the measures taken by the police forces to ensure the security of Shia mourners during the lunar months of Muharram and Safar.

Al Khalifa emphasized that the steps were adopted to prevent an attack similar to the one against a group of Shia Muslims participating in a ceremony marking the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, the third Shia Imam, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province in early November.

On November 3, masked gunmen stormed a mourning procession for Imam Hussein in the village of al-Dalwah in al-Ahsa Governorate of Eastern Province, and opened fire as people were observing Ashura, the 10th day of the lunar month of Muharram.

Eight Shia mourners, including children, were killed and a dozen others sustained injuries in the attack.

The report comes as the Arabic-language Manama Voice news website has described the Shia opposition figures meeting and holding negotiations with the Bahraini interior minister as pro-regime individuals.

Meanwhile, some Shia opposition groups have called for mass protest rallies in Saar, situated about 16 kilometers (10 miles) west of the capital, Manama, following Friday Prayers under the motto of “Democracy is our right.”

Since mid-February 2011, thousands of pro-democracy protesters have held numerous rallies in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.

Bahrain has been severely criticized by human rights groups for its harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters, which has claimed the lives of scores of people so far.