Bahraini policemen gather during clashes with demonstrators following a protest against the regime in the village of Diraz, West of Manama, July 19, 2013.<\/p>\n
Bahrain\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s main opposition group al-Wefaq says regime forces have injured over a dozen protesters in the past few days as the crackdown on anti-regime protesters and activists continues in the Persian Gulf sheikhdom.\n<\/p>\n
The Bahraini opposition party said that the Manama regime forces raided 216 homes in several villages across Bahrain last week.\n<\/p>\n
According to al-Wefaq, most raids took place after midnight or at dawn and 42 people including two children were also arrested.\n<\/p>\n
On August 7, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa banned protests in the capital, Manama, ahead of the August 14 celebrations of the country\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s independence from the United Kingdom.\n<\/p>\n
The opposition is planning to hold a major protest on the same day. The Manama regime has warned that any protests would face the \u00c5\u201cforce of the law.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Bahrain\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s loyalist-dominated parliament has also approved a bill banning all protests in Manama.\n<\/p>\n
Bahrainis have been staging demonstrations since mid-February 2011, demanding political reform and a constitutional monarchy, a demand that later changed to an outright call for the ouster of the ruling Al Khalifa family following its brutal crackdown on popular protests.\n<\/p>\n
Scores have been killed, many of them under torture while in custody, and thousands more detained since the popular uprising in Bahrain began.\n<\/p>\n
Protesters say they will continue holding anti-regime demonstrations until their demand for the establishment of a democratically-elected government and an end to rights violations are met.\n<\/p>\n
MR\/HN
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