Bahrain is a key U.S. government ally in the Middle East, hosting the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed “concerns” over the attack on protesters.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “The United States strongly opposes the use of violence and strongly supports reform that moves toward democratic institution building and economic openness. I called my counterpart in Bahrain this morning and directly conveyed our deep concerns about the actions of the security forces, and I emphasized how important it was that, given that there will be both funerals and prayers tomorrow, that that not be marred by violence.”