Britain on Thursday (April 5th) opened a new naval base in Bahrain, its first permanent military outpost in the Middle East in nearly half a century, London's defence ministry said.
The base, south of Manama, will house around 300 British troops and support personnel as Britain and Gulf states press their campaign against extremist groups in the region, AFP reported.
"Our presence in Bahrain will play a vital role in keeping Britain safe as well as underpinning security in the Gulf," defence secretary Gavin Williamson said.
Bahrain and Britain are part of the international coalition battling the “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria” (ISIS) in Syria and Iraq, and the new base means Britain will have the opportunity to add to its four mine-hunter warships currently based at the Mina Salman port.
"What happens in the Gulf region has a direct impact on the national security of the United Kingdom, our prosperity and the safety of our citizens," Britain's defence ministry said.
"It is vital that we work with close allies like Bahrain to tackle regional threats such as that posed by ISIS," it added.
Bahrain currently houses the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.
