Standard Chartered and HSBC Holdings said they had reopened some branches in Bahrain on Thursday, a day after a crackdown on protests in the country.

StanChart closed its seven branches in Bahrain on Wedensday and HSBC closed its four branches after Bahraini forces clashed with protestors and the country declared martial law.

Standard Chartered said it opened four branches on Thursday, while HSBC opened one branch. They are two of the leading foreign banks in the country.

The military on Wednesday banned all protests and imposed a curfew across a large swathe of Manama. – Reuters