2 hurt as Bahrain police clash with protesters

Bahraini police and anti-government protesters clashed in a Shiite village outside the capital Manama overnight leaving at least two people wounded, the police said on Wednesday. Protesters attacked police with Molotov cocktails and iron rods on Tuesday night, according to a police statement carried by Bahrain's official BNA news agency. At least "two suspects" were injured. The police said they were searching for "other suspects who participated in the attack." Witnesses meanwhile said police used tear gas and birdshot to disperse demonstrators who had gathered in Bani Jamra, just outside the capital, to protest a government siege of the Shiite village of Akar. On Sunday, authorities announced the arrest of seven people suspected of being responsible for a roadside bombing that killed a policeman during clashes in Akar. Police say the tightened security around the village was aimed at capturing suspects involved in the deadly attack in which an improvised explosive device was used. The opposition has condemned the "siege," saying police have been denying entry to activists and doctors. Regular unrest and demonstrations have shaken Bahrain since it crushed Shiite-led popular protests in March last year. The kingdom came under strong criticism from international rights groups over the deadly crackdown. According to the International Federation for Human Rights, a total of 80 people have been killed in Bahrain since the violence began on February 14, 2011.