DUBAI (May 30, 2013): A homemade bomb planted by “terrorists” exploded in a Shiite village outside the Bahraini capital, wounding seven policemen on patrol, police said on Thursday.

The blast went off in Bani Jamra village on Wednesday night, wounding one policeman seriously and two others moderately, said Northern Province police chief Ibrahim al-Sheeb.

Sheeb, who was cited by BNA state news agency, said an investigation had been launched into the attack which he blamed on “terrorists”.

Bomb attacks are rare in Bahrain, despite frequent clashes between security forces in the Sunni-ruled kingdom and protesters from its Shiite majority.

The interior ministry said on its Twitter account that 10 people had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the explosion.

Witnesses said security forces installed checkpoints at all entries to the village, east of the capital Manama, and stormed some houses in search of suspects.

At least 80 people have been killed in Bahrain since February 2011, according to the International Federation for Human Rights, when Shiite dominated protests filled the streets of Manama.

Despite a heavy-handed crackdown in March 2011, backed by Saudi-led Gulf troops, demonstrators were soon back on the street.

Strategically located across the Gulf from Shiite Iran, Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and is a major offshore financial and services centre for its Arab neighbours in the oil-rich Gulf. – AFP