Military makes show of force through the streets of Bahrain's capital on Thursday after a crackdown against the anti-government demonstrators in a Manama square in which four people were killed and more than 200 injured, state-run television said.

Protests were banned in Bahrain and the military would take every measure necessary to preserve security, Interior Ministry sources said.

Four people were killed and 235 were injured when police broke up the main protest camp in the capital, Manama on Thursday, said Bahrain's Health Minister.

Security forces attacked the Pearl square, where hundreds of people were spending the night in tents. Police use tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators in Pearl Roundabout.

Army had taken control on the sensitive areas of the city and patrolling on the streets, state-run TV said.

Demonstrators were demanding for political reforms and were camped out in Manama city, since Tuesday.

相关中文报道：

巴林警方17日凌晨对首都麦纳麦珍珠广场进行清场行动，强行驱散了驻守数日的反政府示威者。

当天凌晨，警方进入珍珠广场，使用催泪弹和橡皮子弹驱散示威者。反对派人士说，两名示威者在与警方的冲突中被打死，数十人受伤。这使得自本月14日以来的反政府抗议活动中死亡的示威者人数升至4人。

巴林反对派人士谴责警察的行动“将给巴林的安全带来严重后果”，并号召民众19日参加更大规模的游行示威。

本月14日以来，以什叶派为主的巴林民众连续走上街头示威游行，其要求包括公平对待什叶派、政府下台、首相由选举产生而非国王任命等。

巴林人口中大多数为什叶派穆斯林，而王室为占人口少数的逊尼派。什叶派认为自己长期受到歧视，在分享政治权力、就业、住房等方面都得不到与逊尼派同样的机会，但巴林政府对此予以否认。自上世纪90年代中期以来，巴林什叶派经常举行反政府抗议示威活动，要求得到平等待遇。

（以上新闻来源新华网）