18 February,2011 07:22 AM IST | | Agencies
Bahrain's military has delivered a swift and brutal response to demonstrations in the capital, leaving at least four people dead and many more wounded.
A protest camp in Pearl Square, at the heart of the city, was dispersed yesterday morning, as riot police used tear gas and clubs to crack down on the gathering.
Riot police stormed through the square firing rubber bullets and tear gas against anti-regime protesters
Bahrain's Health Minister said there had been three deaths and 231 people injured.u00a0However, medicos tending to those caught up in the attacks said there were four fatalities, while injuries included broken bones and respiratory problems resulting from the gas.
Authorities in the Gulf state have adopted an increasingly hard-line stance since protests sprang up in the wake of uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, with rubber bullets used earlier in the week, leaving one man dead.
Ahead of yesterday's action, the Ministry of the Interior sent warnings to residents via text that they should not leave their houses because of the potential conflict, while tanks, armoured personnel carriers and military
checkpoints appeared on some streets.
Following the violence in Pearl Square, which has been the site of protests since Monday, police moved in to clear up the debris, including demolished tents, tear gas canisters, broken glass and pools of blood.
Hours after the attack on Manama' s main Pearl Square, the military announced a ban on gatherings, saying on state TV that it had "key parts" of the capital under its control.
