Internet shutdown in Sudan affects over 14 million users

Internet and communication networks have been offline for several days in Sudan, a North African country currently engrossed in politically motivated conflicts. According to 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 refuge.

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 RFS, 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 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 access.

Zain, in a statement posted on Meta (formerly Facebook), admitted to operating under highly challenging conditions and pointed out the current blackout was due to factors outside their control. As state-affiliated media lay the blame on the RSF, Anonymous Sudan, a hacktivist group, took it upon themselves to target other jurisdictions believed to be affiliated with the paramilitary group.

The hacktivist group cyber-attacked Djibouti Telecom, a state-owned leading mobile network operator in the Horn of Africa nation due to assumed ties with the RSF. The attack significantly disrupted connectivity, forcing subscribers offline.

Moreover, Anonymous Sudan also targeted Uganda, causing disruptions for state-owned Uganda Telecom and the local MTN unit. However, reports suggest that Uganda Telecom hasn’t been a majorly active internet service provider for several years.

In April last year, on the government’s directive, MTN Sudan temporarily suspended its internet services to suppress armed conflicts between the RSF and the state army, leading to significant loss of life.

In 2023, due to 212 hours of internet censorship, Sudan incurred a loss of $12.4 million, affecting nearly 4.8 million people. Currently, Sudan has joined the list of African nations restricting internet access this year, including Comoros and Senegal.