Bahrain policeman injured in April attack dies

A Bahraini policeman who suffered severe burns in an attack in April has died, the government has announced.

The officer had been sent abroad to receive treatment for his burns, but succumbed to his injuries on Thursday, the director of northern police said.

The officer was burned in a "terrorist attack" in Karzakan, he added, without giving any further further details.

On Friday, another policeman died after a bomb exploded during clashes with anti-government protesters in al-Akr.

Seven people have been arrested in connection with the blast, and the authorities say security has been tightened around the village.

However, the opposition says al-Akr is under "siege" and that activists and doctors carrying food and medicine have been denied entry. Local sources in Bahrain said reports of a siege were vastly exaggerated.

In a separate development, at least two people were injured on Tuesday night when protesters and police clashed in the village of Bani Jamra, outside the capital Manama, state media reported.

A police statement said officers were attacked with Molotov cocktails and iron rods. Witnesses said police used tear gas and fired shotguns.

All three incidents happened in predominantly Shia villages.

Bahrain's majority Shia community has led demonstrations demanding more democracy in the Gulf kingdom and an end to what they say is discrimination by the Sunni royal family.

At least 60 people, including several police officers, have been killed, and thousands injured and jailed, since the uprising began in February 2011. The opposition puts the death toll at 80, a figure the authorities dispute.