Eritrea says it has foiled a ‘massive’ cyberattack on its internet system, which threatened to disrupt much of its communication network.
The attack was unleashed in the afternoon hours of independence day Friday.
No group has claimed responsibility although suspicion has fallen on critics of Isias Afwerki’s government based abroad.
”The attempt was foiled by the defensive countermeasures deployed promptly, and the network continued its functions without interruptions” says a statement sent to APA on Sunday.
While not naming the orchestrators of the attack, the authorities claim their identity ”is not alien to the watchful eyes of the Eritrean government and will be revealed in due course.
The attack comes amid growing disenchantment with Eritrea’s handling of dissent, prompting a series of demonstrations abroad against the government of Isias Afwerki which has been accused of heavy-handedness.
Human rights concerns say repression inside Eritrea had forced tens of thousands of its citizens to seek refuge abroad to avoid military conscription which is mandatory for young Eritreans.
These disgruntled critics of the regime had held anti-regime protests in Europe, the United States and Canada to draw attention to the repressive political climate in Eritrea which is regarded as Africa’s most reclusive state.
Because of this many critics describe it as the Africa’s North Korea.
WN/as/APA