Security was stepped up outside several mosques across Bahrain yesterday with police checkpoints set up to ensure the safety of worshippers.

Community police were also stationed at entrances to mosques in Isa Town, Gufool, Naim, Ras Ruman and several villages off the Budaiya Highway, reported The Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

In some areas, officers did not allow people to park their cars near the places of worship.

Halls designated for female worshippers were closed in most mosques in the country.

The heavy police presence follows an attack by terrorist group Islamic State (IS), in which a suicide bomber disguised as a woman blew himself up outside Al Anoud Mosque in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, killing himself and three others on May 29.

'Police were present at all times to protect everyone in the mosque and did not leave until everyone left,' said a Bahraini, who performed Friday prayers at Ras Ruman mosque.

The GDN earlier reported that the Interior Ministry said it would protect places of worship, following which Jaffari Waqf (Endowment) Directorate instructed Shi'ite mosques to not allow women to enter as a safety measure.

Ma'atam owners have also been urged by the directorate to report suspicious activities or behaviour to the police during religious festivities.

The attack was the second of its kind in Saudi Arabia within a week, as IS claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Shi'ite mosque in Qatif city that killed 21 people on May 22.

Meanwhile, reports circulating online claimed a Bahraini identified as Abu Talha Al Bahraini was killed while fighting with IS militants.

Reports claimed he was killed in Aleppo, Syria, but local authorities did not confirm the incident.

The general director of anti-corruption and economic and electronic security on Thursday warned that tweets from outside Bahrain that claimed to be conversations between a male and female member of IS promoting fear and sedition were monitored and requested people to ignore rumours and threats.-TradeArabia News Service