(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Bahrain says it will rebuild 12 Shia mosques demolished by authorities during unrest against the Persian Gulf nation's monarchy.
The work seeks to address allegations of abuses raised by an independent report on the uprising by the country's Shia majority for greater rights. As part of the widespread crackdowns, Bahraini authorities razed Shia mosques they claimed were built illegally or had other violations.
A government statement Thursday says work has begun on five mosques and construction will begin soon on the seven others.
Since mid-February, anti-discriminate protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February, calling for an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty over-40-year rule.
Violence against the defenseless people escalated after a Saudi-led conglomerate of police, security and military forces from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar - were dispatched to the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on March 13 to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.
Scores of people have been killed and hundreds more arrested in the brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in Bahrain, home to a huge American military installation for the US Navy's Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf.
The Bahraini people have repeatedly condemned Riyadh's main role in the suppression of their revolution, and reiterated that they would continue protests until the collapse of the Al-Khalifa regime.
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