German gov't says 'no comment' on new lethal crackdown in Bahrain

A German foreign ministry spokesman here Monday said his government had 'no comment' on the latest deadly security clampdown on peaceful protests in Bahrain. Dirk Augustin told media representatives that he had 'no new comment' on the latest wave of Bahrain's security crackdown. He pointed out that Berlin had repeatedly urged all sides in the Bahraini conflict to exercise restraint, saying only a peaceful settlement between the protesters and the Al-Khalifa regime could calm down the situation in the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom. Clashes between pro-democracy protesters and police continued reportedly Sunday after two deaths prompted protesters to once again organize a sit-it along a main road. The latest round of clashes saw police attacking hundreds of protesters participating in the sit-in after gaining control of two roundabouts and a section of a highway that runs alongside several Shiite villages. Protesters had been attempting the sit-in since Thursday. The area of the protests, which is predominately Shiite and runs alongside Budaiya highway, had seen back-to-back funerals of people who protesters say died because of police actions. Ali Ahmed Radhi al-Qassab, 22, was killed Thursday around the time the sit-in efforts started, after he was hit by a car while running across a busy highway. Protesters said that al-Qassab, who was active in protests, was being chased by police. On Sunday, protesters buried Abid-Ali al-Mowali. Protesters said al-Mowali died in hospital after large amounts of tear gas had been fired near his home as police reacted to protests.