US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged the Bahraini government to step up reform efforts rather than attacking peaceful protesters.
Speaking to ABC News, she said; "We've been very clear from the beginning that we do not want to see any violence. We deplore it. We think it is absolutely unacceptable"
"We very much want to see the human rights of the people protected, including right to assemble, right to express themselves and we want to see reform," Mrs Clinton added.
The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said Washington was deeply concerned by reports that Libyan and Bahraini security forces have lashed out at pro-democracy activists.
Mrs Rice said: "There's no place for violence against peaceful protesters."
"What we're encouraging Bahrain and other governments in the region to do is to recognize that this is a yearning for change and reform that is not going to go away, that it needs to be respected and that they need to get ahead of it by leading rather than being pushed."
Thousands of anti-government protesters camped over Saturday night in Pearl Square in the Bahraini capital Manama.
But after days of violence in the Sunni-ruled island state, the mood appeared to be more conciliatory, with talks due to take place Sunday between the opposition and crown prince.
