Sudan: Groups Demand Immediate Internet Reconnection Amidst Armed Conflict

Amidst the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Sudan, about 94 civil societies, human rights organisations, and members of the #KeepItOn Coalition have signed a letter calling for the immediate reconnection of telecommunications infrastructure across the country.

In a co-signed letter released by Sudan INGO Forum, the organisation, along with 94 others, urged the Sudanese government to re-establish internet connectivity following Starlinks’ operational crackdown amidst the relentless warfare and indiscriminate violence in Sudan.

In February 2024, nearly 30 million Sudanese were disconnected from telecommunications networks like Zain, MTN, and Sudani in the Darfur region and parts of Khartoum and Kordofan.

This is a result of the armed conflict that erupted between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, leaving millions displaced across the country.

However, in the dire need for warfare survivors to reach relatives and access humanitarian aid and critical information such as safe routes, the Sudan INGO Forum and other human rights and CSOs have appealed to all stakeholders, including the government, to understand the profound impact and re-establish active internet connections in the regions affected.

The group also urged the United Nations, through its Emergency Telecommunications Cluster, to ensure an increase in emergency telecommunications capacity in Darfur and Kordofan.

With over 90 signatories, the group has raised concerns about the need for immediate access to the internet in a country plagued by a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis.

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