Bahrain hit by unrest as calls mount for Libyan no-fly zone
PROTESTERS in Bahrain barricaded themselves around the financial district of the capital Manama yesterday, bringing the banking hub to a grinding halt.
Police fought back, firing tear gas at the crowds in the most violent clashes in the country since the military killed seven protesters on 17 February. One demonstrator showed a round red mark on his chest, which he said was sustained when a tear gas canister was fired directly into him.
Protesters say they will not sleep as they maintain pressure on the beleaguered regime.
Bahrain, which is connected to Saudi Arabia via a causeway, has been gripped by its worst unrest since the 1990s after protesters took to the streets last month, inspired by uprisings that toppled the leaders in Egypt and Tunisia.
Meanwhile international calls for a no fly zone over Libya intensified. The Arab League voted in favour of the no-fly zone, with the UK and US praising the decision while falling short of guaranteeing action.
There are fears that imposing the no-fly zone, which would be policed by US and allied warplanes, could spark a third war in the region.