Bahrain’s government appears to be pulling back from plans to dissolve the country’s two main opposition groups al-Wefaq and the Islamic Action Association parties after swift international criticism

Bahrain's government appears to be pulling back from plans to dissolve the country's two main opposition groups al-Wefaq and the Islamic Action Association parties after swift international criticism.
The state-run Bahrain News Agency reported on Friday that authorities are holding off any action until the outcome of investigations into Wefaq party, which played a key role in recent pro-democracy protests, and a smaller Shia bloc.

According to Bahrain's state media, the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs said in a statement that it filed a lawsuit to dissolve al-Wefaq group which won 18 seats in Bahrain's 40-seat lower chamber of parliament last year in its toughest crackdown on the reform movement.

The US State Department raised concerns about the plans to block the political groups.

Wefaq has withdrawn its lawmakers from Bahrain's parliament to protest the government's crackdown on dissent, including a declaration of martial law.

Meanwhile, Saudi and Bahraini troops have demolished two more mosques -- one in the town of Hamad and the other in Sitra. Troops from both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain had earlier surrounded Sitra.

Saudi-backed regime troops have destroyed several mosques during the past few weeks. There are reports of soldiers setting up checkpoints in and around Sitra. Troops have also surrounded a medical center and destroyed several tribal guest houses.

People in Bahrain have been holding peaceful protests since Feb 14 to demand an end to the rule of the Al Khalifa dynasty.