The assault yesterday began in Pearl Square, the center of the uprising inspired by Arab revolts in Egypt and Tunisia. At least five people were killed.
Protesters fled into side streets and security forces blocked main roads. Mobile phones were apparently jammed during the height of the attack and Internet service remained at a crawl.
Hamid Zuher, a 32-year-old protester who slept at the square, said riot police first moved in on foot. “They fired tear gas and then opened fire,’’ Zuher said. “We lifted our arms and started saying ‘Peaceful, Peaceful.’ Then we had to run away.’’
The government said security forces came under attack from about 250 “saboteurs’’ hurling gasoline bombs and responded with tear gas. It denied live ammunition was used.
Witnesses said at least two protesters were killed when the square was stormed. Officials at Ibn Nafees Hospital said a third protester died later. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals.
A government statement said the only deaths during the raid were two policemen who were “repeatedly run over by three vehicles containing protesters.’’
The government did not say whether the offensive included soldiers from other gulf nations — a Saudi-led force that has grown to nearly 1,000.
Hospital officials said they had taken in 107 injured from yesterday’s violence. Nine were in critical condition, officials in the hospital said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.
Their facility was later taken over by security forces, blocking physicians from either leaving or treating the wounded on site, the officials said.
“There are many people injured, but we can’t bring them to the hospital because of the travel restrictions, and doctors can’t come to us,’’ said Ali Marsouk, a resident of the Shi’ite village of Sitra, who said helicopters fired on homes in a three-hour attack.
