Bahrain: Bombing in Manama suburbs kills one

Event

On Tuesday, June 20, the Interior Ministry announced that a bombing in the Shi'a village of Hajar - located in the suburbs of the capital, Manama - had killed one person. The Interior Ministry gave no date for the bombing but confirmed that a body was found on Monday, June 19.

This incident is the second bombing this week in Shi'a villages in the Manama suburbs. Authorities announced that several arrests had been made in relation to the other bombing, which occurred on June 18 in town of Diraz. That incident, which killed one policeman and left four others wounded, is being treated as a terrorist attack by authorities.

Context

Diraz, the site of the June 18 bombing, was home to the Shi'a cleric leader Isa Qassim, arrested and sentenced to one year of prison on May 21 after he was accused of collecting funds illegally and money laundering. On May 23, five activists were killed in Diraz after clashes with security forces. Bahrain's Shi'a Muslims regularly accuse the royal family and the government of marginalizing their community.

Advice

Individuals present in Bahrain are advised to exercise caution, avoid any protests, and to keep abreast of the situation.