Skip to main content

Network blackout cuts communications for millions in war-torn Sudan

1 min Mena Today

All three of Sudan's main internet operators were offline on Wednesday, internet observatory Netblocks said on X, cutting communications for millions of people stuck in conflict zones or fleeing for their safety.

Live network data show a new collapse of internet connectivity in Sudan © Netblocks

Live network data show a new collapse of internet connectivity in Sudan © Netblocks

All three of Sudan's main internet operators were offline on Wednesday, internet observatory Netblocks said on X, cutting communications for millions of people stuck in conflict zones or fleeing for their safety.

The network blackout could also freeze e-wallets that many people depend upon amid a widespread cash shortage.

Aid agencies have warned of rising hunger in Sudan and famine-like conditions in some areas, as a result of fighting between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April.

Two of the networks had been offline since Friday, when telecom sources and the army-aligned state news agency said the RSF had shut down the networks belonging to MTN Sudan and Sudani. Zain Sudan is now also offline, Netblocks said.

An RSF source has denied responsibility and the companies have not publicly blamed anyone for the outages.

Reporting by Nafisa Eltahir

Tags

Related

United Arab Emirates

UAE denies funnelling mercenaries into Sudan

Human Rights Watch has accused an Abu Dhabi-based security company of recruiting Colombian private military contractors and deploying them to fight alongside Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) between 2024 and 2025, adding to what the rights group describes as a growing body of evidence of Emirati military support for the paramilitary group.

Sudan

Sudan food crisis deepens as Iran war disrupts harvests

Farmers across Sudan say the hike in global fuel and fertilizer costs resulting from the Iran conflict will force them to cut back on planting this summer, restricting food production in a country where war has caused acute hunger.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.