The US Embassy in Bahrain will be closed today (August 14) amid fears about "heightened and widespread" anti-government protests, a report said.

Americans have been urged to avoid all non-essential travel after radical opposition groups called for mass rallies as part of the Tamarod (rebellion) movement, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

"Opposition groups have called for demonstrations and protests in the vicinity of the US Embassy on this date," said a US Embassy advisory.

"As a precautionary measure, the US Embassy will be closed on August 14. The majority of this activity will likely take place in the restricted areas and may involve violent clashes with security forces."

The advisory warned protests may also occur on main highways and said the indiscriminate use of homemade weapons such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), projectile weapons and Molotov cocktails remained a concern.

Meanwhile, the British Embassy also released an advisory notice yesterday warning its nationals.

Disruption

"We expect that there will be increased demonstrations, protests and disruption throughout the day and across the island," it said.

"These activities may include attempts to disrupt traffic, protests in villages and near economic centres, the burning of tyres, the throwing of Molotov cocktails, and the possible use of IEDs.

"While there have been no direct threats or attacks on UK citizens to date, it is strongly recommended that you maintain a constant awareness of your surroundings wherever you are on the island. Violent protests do pose a risk to those who might inadvertently find themselves in the vicinity of an active demonstration." – TradeArabia News Service