The mass protests sweeping the Arab world continued Friday with demonstrations in Yemen, Libya and Bahrain. In the latter two countries thousands took to the streets to mourn protesters killed in clashes with police earlier in the week.
Twenty-four people were killed in clashes with security forces in Libya over the past three days. In Bahrain, five people were killed in a brutal attack Thursday on protesters in the capital city of Manama.
Bahraini leaders have accused the Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah, a Shi’ite Muslim group, of encouraging riots in their country. Officials said that Hizbullah flags were found at the Manama rally, along with weapons and ammunition.
In Yemen, demonstrators have used social media to call for a "Day of Rage." Thousands of pro-government protesters took to the streets Friday in preparation. Three demonstrators have been killed in the country so far.
Protesters in each country are demanding the resignation of their leaders and their replacement in democratic elections. Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been in power for 32 years. Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi has been in power for more than 40 years.
Bahrain is led by Sunni Muslim monarchs from the Khalifa family. The majority of the population is Shi’ite Muslim.
Revolutions in Bahrain and Yemen could strike a serious blow to the international war on terrorism. Bahrain has been the Gulf state that most cooperates with the West, while Saleh has cooperated with the United States in the war on Al-Qaeda.