Two foreigners were killed and one was injured when five bombs exploded on Monday at different locations in the Bahraini capital Manama.
The director general of the Capital Governorate police said the areas of Qudhaibiya and Adliya were rocked by “terrorist” explosions caused by locally-made bombs.
“Initial investigations indicate that an Asian man was killed when he kicked a bomb, causing it to explode. He died on the spot,” the police chief said.
“The second man, also an Asian, was killed when a bomb exploded near Awal Cinema in Qudhaibiya. He died in hospital,” he added. One of the bombs went off after one of the victims touched it.
The police chief urged residents to stay away and report suspicious objects, the state news agency reported. “This is the initial information we have at this time,” he stated. “As more is learned, the information may change so updates will follow.”
Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, has been convulsed by unrest since February last year following mass demonstrations led by majority Shi’ites demanding democratic change in the Sunni-led monarchy.
The ruling Al-Khalifa family brought in Gulf Arab troops and imposed over two months of martial law to end the uprising.
Since then, the tiny Gulf nation has been hit by a series of violent accidents. In October, a policeman was killed during clashes with protesters.
The opposition, which says more than 45 people have died in clashes since martial law ended, want full legislative powers for parliament and for the makeup of the Cabinet to be approved by parliament too. The Cabinet has been headed by an uncle of King Hamad bin Isa since 1971.
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