In OMDURMAN, Sudan (Reuters) – Some Sudanese residents who have been cut off from mobile networks for weeks due to the war between rival military factions have found a way to access the internet using Starlink satellite connections, as regular coverage has begun to return to other parts of the country.
The mobile blackout that started in early February has made it difficult for people to purchase essential goods, such as scarce food supplies, and to stay in touch with displaced family members, while also causing challenges with aid deliveries.
In the Karari district of Omdurman, where Sudan’s army has recently made progress against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and has provided some residents with satellite access, people gathered around a Starlink access point to connect with their loved ones using their mobile phones.
“People are in desperate need of connection,” said Amal Abdu, a resident of the Karari district in Omdurman, which is part of the wider capital of Sudan.
“Every day we are promised that there will be a connection today or tomorrow, but it never materializes. People here find out about the death of their father or brother one or two weeks after it happens,” she added.
The ongoing fighting has led to significant damage to the banking system, with many relying on the Bank of Khartoum’s Bankak mobile app to transfer money and make payments.
“There is a shortage of cash in the country, and we need to use Bankak, but we are unable to log in,” Abdu explained.
Sources in the telecoms industry previously mentioned that the RSF had shut down networks after threatening to do so unless the army restored disabled connections in the western region of Darfur.
State-owned Sudani has started to restore coverage in some parts of Sudan, but large portions of the country, including the capital and most of Darfur, are still without mobile connectivity.
A second provider, Zain, was able to partially restore services last week.
In areas where mobile connections are unavailable, some residents have turned to using Elon Musk’s Starlink, a satellite service that is not typically authorized in Sudan and comes with a high cost of around $2.5 for an hour of access for ordinary Sudanese.
“The most recent approach we have tried is Starlink, but there is a high demand and not everyone is able to establish a connection,” said another resident of Karari named Mohamed.
The conflict between the army and the RSF began in mid-April 2023 due to tensions related to a planned political transition, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis and widespread hunger.
According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 6.5 million people have been displaced within Sudan, with over 1.9 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries.
(Reporting by El Tayeb Siddig; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Ros Russell)
