Al-Jazeera's Twitter account back after suspension

Al-Jazeera said it been combatting a large-scale cyber attack in since the beginning of June.

Doha, Jun 17: The Arabic-language account of Al-Jazeera has been restored on Twitter after being suspended due to what the network called "an organised campaign", BBC reported.

Earlier, Qatar-based broadcaster's Twitter account for its main Arabic-language channel had been suspended, in the latest "conspiracy" to hit the station.

The suspension came at a time of diplomatic crisis in the Gulf after Qatar was cut off by neighboring countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Yasser Abuhilalah, managing director of Al-Jazeera Arabic, confirmed the suspension on social media.

"The main Al-Jazeera Twitter account has been suspended, and work is ongoing to solve the problem," Abuhilalah tweeted.

"Other secondary accounts remain active. Disruption (by others) will not stop because the truth terrifies them. We'll be back." In another tweet, he said that no other "channel in the world... faces the same amount of conspiracy". Other Twitter accounts belonging to the channel were still working and one claimed that the suspension was due to "what seems to be an organised campaign".

Al-Jazeera said it been combatting a large-scale cyber attack in since the beginning of June. The television channel has long been a target for criticism by other Middle East countries, with Al-Jazeera banned on several occasions. There has been speculation that closure of Al-Jazeera could help end the diplomatic crisis which erupted last month between Qatar and its neighbours in the Gulf over its alleged support of extremists.

PTI