Bahrain Protesters Return to Pearl Square
Thousands of protesters flooded back into Bahrain's Pearl Square as the military withdrew Saturday. The withdrawal of the military from the streets was one of the protesters' preconditions for negotiations, but it isn't clear whether it alone will be enough to begin talks.
Ibrahim Sharif, head of an umbrella group of protest factions, said he wants guarantees that protesters won't be attacked. The behavior of the riot police as the military withdrew isn't convincing in that regard: They fired tear gas and beat and detained protesters as they entered the square. Violence has been escalating in Bahrain, with the death toll climbing to six on Friday when soldiers opened fire on protesters during a funeral march for someone killed earlier in the week.
The increasing violence drew a harsher rebuke from President Obama, who said Friday that he "condemns the use of violence by governments against peaceful protesters," and spoke with the king of Bahrain. But it's unclear who exactly in Bahrain is responsible for the violent crackdown. While the king and his son are viewed as modernizers, the king's uncle, the prime minister is in charge of security.
Eighty Four Killed in Libyan Protests
The situation in Libya is becoming increasingly violent. Early Saturday morning, special forces launched a surprise attack against protesters camped out in front of the courthouse in Benghazi.
"They fired tear gas on protesters in tents and cleared the areas after many fled carrying the dead and the injured," one protester said. Human Rights Watch estimates that 84 people have been killed so far.
On Friday, President Muammar Qaddafi tried to appease protesters be announcing that the congress had been suspended indefinitely and many members would be replaced when it resumed. Qaddafi seems to be following Hosni Mubarak's playbook in other ways as well, as the U.S.-based Arbor Networks security company says the country's Internet has been shut down.
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