Gulf states send troops to Bahrain

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have sent hundreds of troops to neighbouring Bahrain to help restore security in the wake of increasingly violent protests against the Bahraini government.

Bahrain's rulers asked neighbouring Arab states to send troops to help quell the violent protests that have raged for a month and escalated again this week.

Demonstrators have routinely blocked main roads in the capital Manama and clashed with riot police.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have all responded to the request by sending troops.

Bahrain's rulers have offered to hold talks with opposition leaders but so far it has not been enough to satisfy the protesters' demands.

Similar protests have also been staged in some of the nations offering assistance, including Saudi Arabia and Oman.

The intervention comes two days after US defence secretary Robert Gates visited Manama and held talks with the king in which he said he urged them to undertake rapid and significant reform.

Mr Gates also said Washington was concerned that the longer the instability dragged on the more likely Iran was to try to meddle in Bahrain's affairs.