Fears of cutting off communication services in Sudan

The conflict in Sudan led to the deaths of thousands and the displacement of millions (Anatolia)

An expert and former official in the Sudanese Communications Authority told Al Jazeera that the Rapid Support Forces have already ordered the Sudanese and MT Communications companies to cut off communication and Internet services for 36 million subscribers in the country, because Sudatel was unable to maintain the fiber optic network cable for Darfur due to the war. This led to a number of Darfur states being cut off from telecommunications and Internet service.

The former official in the Communications Authority - who preferred to withhold his name - confirmed that the Rapid Support Forces control the areas where the main servers of the two companies are located, and warned that the problem goes beyond the interruption of communications and the Internet to affect banking applications, and closing the main servers randomly or sabotaging them makes it difficult to operate. Restarting may cause Sudan to be completely cut off from the world for a long period.

Workers in telecommunications companies in Sudan told Al Jazeera that telecommunications and Internet services face security and logistical problems that caused the suspension of two of the main telecommunications companies in the country, in addition to the exit of entire states from coverage.

The former official expected that the Kuwaiti company, Zain, the largest operator in Sudan, would join the South African companies, Sudani and MTN, which represents a dangerous development in the course of the war and a clear violation of human rights, he said.

Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army, led by the President of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) - who was Vice-President of the Sovereignty Council before the outbreak of the conflict - have been waging a war that has left more than 13,000 dead and more than 7 million displaced. A refugee, according to the United Nations.

Source: Al Jazeera