Washington urges restraint in dealing with protesters

Washington has urged Bahrain to show restraint in dealing with protesters and called for meaningful reform in the small Gulf state kingdom.



Security forces cleared hundreds of demonstrators from a square in the capital Manama yesterday, leaving four people dead and hundreds injured.



Prayers and funerals are due to take place in the city today.



A pro-government demonstration is also expected to be held, just hours after Bahrain banned public gatherings.



Since independence from the UK in 1971, tensions between the Sunni elite and the less affluent Shia have frequently caused civil unrest.