Internet and communication networks have been offline for several days in Sudan, a North African country currently embroiled in politically motivated conflicts. According to the internet observatory NetBlocks, all three main internet operators in Sudan were offline on Wednesday, disrupting communication for millions of individuals in conflict zones or those seeking refuge1.
The network blackout could also halt the functioning of e-wallets, which many people rely on given the wide-ranging cash shortage in the country. The root cause of the disruption is unclear, with accusations being exchanged between the incumbent Sudanese leadership and the government-controlled paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
These two entities have been locked in a civil war for nearly ten months, resulting in a significant humanitarian crisis that has displaced millions and drawn the attention of the United Nations.
Recent disputes suggest that the RSF, which controls areas housing major telecom infrastructure, may have interfered with the networks of state-owned Sudani and South Africa-owned MTN Sudan in protest of ongoing communication issues. The RSF, however, denies responsibility for the outage and instead points to its main adversary, the Sudanese army, accusing it of cutting off digital communications in parts of Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum, and Al-Jazirah due to military operations.
Digital Rights Lab, an independent, apolitical, non-profit Sudanese organization dedicated to enhancing the local online environment, reports that some sources claim the RSF has seized some internet service providers’ data centers in Khartoum, the capital city.
According to the internet freedom watchdog NetBlocks, there’s been a recent collapse in internet connectivity with major mobile operator Zain also largely offline. This disruption has now hit the major telecom providers in the conflict-ridden nation, leaving around 14 million internet users without essential communication channels
Play audio
No comments