A group of hackers known as Mysterious Team launched a series of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against Senegalese government websites, causing them to go offline. The group claimed responsibility for the cyberattacks through Twitter posts using the hashtag #FreeSenegal, which is used by activists who allege political repression in Senegal.
The attacks occurred amidst heightened political tensions in the country, with clashes between state security forces and opposition supporters resulting in one fatality. The government spokesperson assured that efforts were underway to restore the affected websites.
Although the presidency’s site was back online, other official websites, including those of the government and finance ministry, remained offline as of Saturday evening. DDoS attacks involve flooding targeted servers with high volumes of internet traffic, aiming to disrupt their functioning.
The Mysterious Team, claiming to be “cyber warriors from Bangladesh,” has previously carried out cyberattacks against the Ethiopian health ministry and Indian media, according to the European Repository of Cyber Incidents.
The motive behind the cyberattacks and the connection between Bangladesh and Senegal remains unclear. In response to inquiries, a representative of the Mysterious Team mentioned working for justice for the innocent people of Senegal. The country has witnessed over two years of protests marked by sporadic violence, driven by concerns over a potential third term for President Sall in the February 2024 election and allegations of politically motivated legal cases against opposition figures.
In the latest clash between security forces and Sonko’s supporters, a 37-year-old man was killed, leading to accusations by the opposition coalition that the authorities were responsible for the death.
The situation in Senegal remains tense, with ongoing investigations into the violent encounters and efforts to bring the targeted government websites back online.
The cyberattacks by the Mysterious Team have added another layer of complexity to the political landscape, as activists continue to voice their concerns about political repression and potential government overreach.
