Story highlights
The explosive device wounded two more officers
Shiites in Bahrain rose up in 2011 against repression by the Sunni government
Bahrain is home to the 5th Fleet, a large U.S. military presence in the Persian Gulf
A bomb explosion killed a police officer in a Shiite neighborhood in Bahrain over the weekend, state news media reported Sunday. Two more policemen were injured and taken to hospital.
Yasser Dhaib was helping secure an area around his police station in the town of Sitra, when an explosive device detonated, the Bahrain News Agency reported, which called the incident an “act of terror.”
Sitra was the site of massive protests in 2011 by Shiite residents against suppression by Bahrain’s majority Sunni population and government.
Tensions have continued with many reports of abuse by police against Shiite activists, who periodically block roads in their neighborhoods to hinder access by authorities.
Bahrain is an ally of the United States and home to the 5th Fleet, a large U.S. naval presence in the Persian Gulf.