One dead in Bomb blast in Bahrain Shiite village

Late last night a policeman was killed in a separate attack in Damistan, a nearby Shiite village, the authorities said.

It was the first deadly attack on the security forces since parliamentary elections in November that were boycotted by the main Shiite opposition group, which is calling for democratic reforms in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

The vote was the first in the Gulf state since the Sunni authorities quelled the 2011 Shiite-led protests.

Small but strategic Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, remains deeply divided three years after the month-long demonstrations.

Protests still frequently break out in Bahrain’s Shiite villages, sometimes sparking clashes with police.

The main opposition Al-Wefaq movement quickly distanced itself from the Damistan attack, stressing its “rejection” of violence.

Attacks against the security forces have increased this year, with three policemen — including one from the UAE — killed in a bomb attack in a Shiite area on March 3.

Another policeman was killed in a bomb blast in a Shiite village in February during protests marking the third anniversary of the failed uprising.