Nightly News   |  February 18, 2011

Bahrain crackdown leaves medics overwhelmed

Security forces fired live ammunition into crowds of unarmed, peaceful demonstrators in Bahrain on Friday as some ambulances were reportedly blocked from reaching the injured. NBC's Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel reports.

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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>> reporter: this is rich ard engel at the salmaniya hospital where many casualties were taken. the staff appear overwhelmed. many of the injured struggled to breathe from inhaling tear gas . others have contusions from rubber bullets to the head and body. they're still coming in here. now almost every bed is full. the injured tell us when the security forces began to fire in pearl square, some protesters dropped to their knees, opened their shirts and dared the army and police to shoot. but they did shoot.

>> you can't believe what is happening here?

>> no, i cannot believe it.

>> reporter: the injured say they will continue to protest, more determined now than ever. he's saying that it was a peaceful demonstration . they were even carrying the flag of bahrain and as they approached pearl square, they were confronted by security forces . this man was hit by rubber bullets , inhaled tear gas and there are many cases like him. an ambulance driver insists he saw a protester hit by live ammunition .

>> the gunshot, one in his chest and one in his head.

>> reporter: this was live bullets as far as you know?

>> yes.

>> reporter: medical officials say at least three people were killed and 50 injured. 60 people are also reported to be missing since unrest began here this week. a woman searches the hospital beds for a relative, but she never finds him. today the crown prince of bahrain appealed on television for dialogue and calm, but bahrain is taking a hard line against the demonstrators. opposition groups here, brian, have already rejected that offer of dialogue by the crown prince. more demonstrations are planned over the next several days. brian.

>> richard engel along with john ray by satellite from bahrain tonight. thanks.