Protesters, police clash in Bahrain`s capital

Manama: Witnesses in Bahrain say riot police have clashed with anti-government protesters seeking to shift their demonstrations to the heart of the Gulf kingdom`s capital.

Security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades in street battles near the historic markets and narrow streets in the centre of Manama. The clashes today mark the second such violence in Manama in the past month as Shiite-led protesters try to rattle the Sunni monarchy by bringing rallies back into the capital. Most clashes in recent months have occurred in outlying areas. More than 50 people have been killed in unrest since February 2011 between Bahrain`s Western-backed rulers and majority Shiites seeking a greater political voice. PTI