Regime forces in Bahrain arrest 29 people

Regime forces have reportedly arrested at least 32 people during separate raids on a number of houses across Bahrain in the past 24 hours as the ruling Aal-e Khalifah minority regime intensifies its heavy-handed crackdown on political dissidents.

Regime troops stormed the besieged northwestern village of Diraz, situated some 12 kilometers west of the capital Manama, detaining 13 people, including minors, Arabic-language Lualua television reported.

Security forces had earlier detained more than a dozen political dissidents in the same Bahraini region.

Elsewhere in the northern village of Buri, located about 13 kilometers southwest of Manama, Bahraini forces raided a house and ransacked it. They later arrested brothers Abdullah and Mohammed Saleh Mahdi.

Local sources noted that the incidents took place as regime soldiers did not have a search or arrest warrant with them.

Meanwhile, Bahraini authorities have adjourned the trial of prominent opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman to late next month.

A court in the tiny Persian Gulf island State decided to put off the trial until April 24.

Amnesty International and other human rights groups have already censured his arrest and called for his release.

Thousands of anti-regime protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country in mid-February 2011.

They are demanding that the Ala -eKhalifah regime relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.

SS