SANAA, Yemen, March 12 (UPI) -- Yemeni officials Friday raided the Sanaa offices of Arabic news station al-Arabiya allegedly for its coverage of separatist riots in the south of the country.
Demonstrations for the secessionist movement gaining momentum in the southern provinces of Dhale and Lahj turned violent Thursday when police fired on protesters raising the flag of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the former socialist government.
Al-Arabiya reported that gunfire from Yemeni police killed two people during the unrest Thursday.
Yemeni police Friday stormed the Sanaa offices of al-Arabiya, taking possession of their broadcasting equipment.
The government, al-Arabiya reported, said the news organization didn't have the proper authorization for the equipment. Al-Jazeera was targeted as well.
"The directors of al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya offices know and understand this legal matter and they were requested to cooperate with the concerned authorities in the ministry to implement the law," the official Saba news agency reported Friday.
Nasser al-Sarami, the head of media operations for al-Arabiya, said Yemeni authorities were upset about their coverage of the unrest in the south.
"They didn't give us a reason (for the confiscation) but we believe this is the link," he said.
The bureau chief for al-Arabiya was questioned by Yemeni authorities by several hours before his release Friday.
