Unrest spread across the Middle East and North Africa today as Bahrain launched a swift military crackdown on anti-government protesters and clashes were reported in Libya and Yemen.
Troops in armoured vehicles took control of the Bahraini capital after police firing buckshot and teargas drove out protesters hoping to emulate those who toppled veteran leaders in Egypt and Tunisia.
It was the worst violence in the Gulf island kingdom in decades and a sign of the nervousness felt by Bahrain's Saudi-allied Sunni al-Khalifa royal family, long aware of simmering discontent among the country's majority Shias.
Three people were killed, 231 were injured and opposition leaders said dozens were detained and about 60 were missing.
In Yemen, one protester was killed in the port of Aden, the third since protests began seven days ago on the other side of the Arabian peninsula, and in North Africa there were reports of five deaths in new unrest in Libya.
A Libyan "Day of Rage" promoted on social media websites started with little sign of activity in the capital, where supporters of Muammar Gadafy, in power for 42 years, held a rally in his support.
A resident of the eastern city of Benghazi told Reuters there were clashes in the nearby town of Al Bayda between government supporters and relatives of two young men killed during a protest a day earlier.
A Benghazi resident said at least five people had been killed in violence in nearby towns but it was impossible to establish an exact death toll.
In Iraq, one person was killed and 33 were injured when police opened fire on anti-government protesters in the northern city of Sulaimaniya, medical sources and witnesses said.
Earlier today, Bahraini police stormed a protest camp in central Manama today, killing three people. "Police are coming, they are shooting teargas at us," one protester said by telephone as police swooped at 3am. Another said: "I am wounded, I am bleeding. They're killing us."
Upwards of 40 army trucks and armoured vehicles, including at least one tank, later deployed in and around Pearl square, a road junction demonstrators had tried to turn into a protest base like Cairo's Tahrir, a photographer said.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon today called on the leaders of Bahrain not to use violence against civilians and journalists.
"The reports from Bahrain overnight are deeply troubling," he told reporters, adding he was disturbed by the violent methods being used to disperse demonstrators.
The crackdown by the Bahraini authorities appeared designed to quell the protests before they could gather momentum, unlike the sustained unrest in Egypt that unseated the president.
The main Shia political alliance Wefaq, which holds 17 of parliament's 40 seats, is to quit the assembly in protest. "We feel there was a decision to hurt people," MP Ibrahim Mattar said. "All the members are going to resign. The decision is taken."
Mr Mattar said about 60 people were missing, hours after the police raid. "Are they in prison or did they escape and are now hiding in houses? We don't know," he said, adding that his figure was based on calls received from worried relatives.
The Pentagon today urged the authorities to exercise restraint. "As a long-time ally and home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, Bahrain is an important partner and the department is closely watching developments there," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said. "We also call on all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from violence."
King Hamad has offered condolences to relatives of the two men killed on Monday and Tuesday, and said a committee would investigate. The government says it has detained those thought to be responsible for the killings.
Reuters