Bomb Blasts In Bahrain's Capital Kill Two

Two men have been killed in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, as a series of bombs exploded in the heart of the city.

The Gulf nation's Western-backed rulers have faced a nearly 21-month uprising.

But the seemingly coordinated string of explosions was a rare attack targeting civilians, and suggested that some radical elements in the opposition might be escalating violence.

The victims were street cleaners and one died after kicking a device which then blew up, the interior ministry said.

The other man died from injuries in a separate blast, and a third person was injured.

The interior ministry said the bombs were home-made and described the blasts, one outside a cinema, as "terrorist acts", its term for attacks by opposition activists.

The explosions took place days after the government said it had banned all rallies and opposition gatherings to ensure public safety.

Anti-government factions in Bahrain have used home-made bombs in the past, including a blast that killed a policeman last month.

But the latest attack suggests an expanding campaign of violence because the bombs were placed throughout the heart of the capital, including one area of restaurants and nightlife popular with Westerners.

On Wednesday, foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council plan to meet in Bahrain to discuss regional issues, including Bahrain's tensions.

The kingdom, ruled by the Sunni Muslim Khalifa dynasty, hosts the US Fifth Fleet, which patrols oil shipping lanes in the Gulf region.

Shi'ites comprise about 70% of Bahrain's 525,000 citizens, but claim they face systematic discrimination such as being blocked from top political and security posts.

Bahrain's Western allies have called for renewed efforts at dialogue to ease the crisis.