Following assault on Abdullah Ghorab, corporation seeks reassurance from country's authorities over safety of journalists
The BBC has condemned an attack on its Yemen reporter Abdullah Ghorab, and demanded that the country's authorities ensure the safety of all journalists working there.
Ghorab, who is a BBC Arabic reporter, and his two brothers were set upon by a gang carrying batons and knives on Wednesday, according to the corporation.
The assailants appeared to be supporters of the outgoing president Ali Abdullah Saleh, the BBC claimed. The country has been gripped by months of fighting between armed factions.
In a statement the BBC said journalists should be able "to report freely from Yemen without fear of violence or intimidation".
"We are deeply concerned that this was a deliberate attack and we condemn it in the strongest terms," said the BBC World Service controller, language services, Liliane Landor. She added that Ghorab had been targeted before by supporters of the outgoing president.
"He has been detained and assaulted on two previous occasions and was verbally attacked by Yemen deputy information minister last September. Attacks of this nature only serve to harm the country in the eyes of the world," Landor said.
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