Six killed in protests, Bahrain king calls for dialogue

The King  called for dialogue to end unrest that has cost the lives of six people protesting against the government. But Bahrain's main Shi'ite opposition bloc has rejected the royal call.

"Nobody is willing to sit with officials if the military is killing people," Ibrahim Mattar, a member of the Wefaq bloc said. The Wefaq bloc quit parliament  two days ago. "We don't feel there is a serious will for dialogue because the military is in the streets and people are not allowed to protest."

American President Barack Obama also spoke with King Hamad, condemning the violence and urging the government to show restraint. Obama said the stability of Bahrain depended on respect for the rights of its people. Bahrain is also home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet,

Activists circulated text messages calling for an open-ended strike from Sunday and the closure of all schools "in support of the popular revolution."

More than 60 people were in hospital with wounds sustained when security forces fired on protesters as they headed to Pearl Square, a traffic circle in Manama, the previous day.

Soldiers in tanks and armoured vehicles took over the square after riot police violently broke up a protest camp there in the early hours of Thursday, killing four people. Two people were killed earlier in the week.